S'malim, Minhagim

when mishpachot and chaverim
celebrate the chag together. There
is hadlakat nerot, a kiddush,
special brachot and, of course, the
festive arucha with its special
smalim: there are the two chalot
and the tapuchim that we dip in
dvash wishing each other a
"Shanah Tovah U'metukah." There
are the special ma'achalim
metukim that express the same
wish.
In belt ha'knesset, the minhag
that is special to Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur only, is to bow low
to the ground. In batei knesset
Ashkenazim the mitpal'Iim not only
kneel, but they fall on their panim
before Hashem, to signify our
acceptance of God as melech al
kulam. The bracha we say on Rosh
Hashanah, "Leshanah Tovah
Tikatevu," reflects the belief that
this is Yom Ha'din when our
Creator judges us and writes His
decision in His sefer.
Tashlich is another minhag of
the chag that reflects the desire to
have a new hatchala and to get rid
of our chata'eem. Tashlich is the
minhag to go to the yam or to the
river on the afternoon of the first

Rosh Hashanah, marking
the hatchala of a shanah
chadasha, is a time of
solumn cheshbon nefesh,
of rethinking of our
derech chayim, our
ma'asim, our avar and our
atid,

day of Rosh Hashanah and empty
our kissim into the water, thus
cleansing ourselves of past sins. In
Tel Aviv, Israel, where meot
anashim are flocking to chof
ha'yam on Rosh Hashanah, this
becomes a very impressive
communal experience that is shared
by young and old.

Another minhag that is shared
by young and old and helps
strengthen ties between people is
the minhag to send New Year
cards, called in Israeli slang
"shanot tovot." This is the time to
renew old relationships, to forget
anger and offer a hand of friendship
to all our friends. It adds to the
avirah tovah of a new hatchala.

Meelon (Dictionary)

t'kasim
minhagim
neshama

ceremonies, rituals
customs
soul

every holiday
kol chag
memories
zichronot
holidays
chagim
children
yeladim
family
mishpacha
atmosphere
avirah
symbols
s'malim
meaning
mashma'ut
beginning
hatchala
a new year
shanah chadasha
moral stock
cheshbon nefesh
taking, moral reckoning,
introspection, self examination
way of life
derech chaim
deeds
ma'asim
past
avar
future
atid
Ha'kadosh Baruch Hu ....The Holy
One Blessed Be He
nation
am
honey
dvash
sting
oketz
life
chayim
a ram's horn
keren shel ayil
symbol
semel
tradition
masoret
our father
avinu
faith, belief
emunah
a ram
ayil
justice
tzedek
mercy
rachamim
a sign
siman
me'oraot historiyim historical events
The Giving
Matan Torah
of the Torah
a festive meal
arucha chagigit
friends
chaverim
The lighting
hadlakat nerot
of the candles
blessings
brachot
apples
tapuchim
honey
dvash
Shanah Tova U'metukah ....a good
and sweet year
ma'achalim metukim ...sweet foods
the synagogue
beit ha'knesset
custom
minhag
mitpal'Iim ..worshippers, the people
who pray
panim
face
melech al kulam ....a king over all
blessing
bracha
May you
Leshanah Tovah Tikatevu
be inscribed to a good year
Day of Judgement
Yom Ha'din
book
sefer
sins
chata'eem
sea
yam
pockets
kissim
meot anashim .. hundreds of people
the beach
chof ha'yam
avirah tovah ....a good atmosphere

Nira Lev is director of Hebrew
Learning Center, Agency for Jewish
Education: Director of Hebrew
Department, Community Jewish
High School; Associate Professor,
Midrasha College of Jewish Studies.

Q. What Jew was the first major movie cowboy?

Actor Gilbert M. Anderson
(1883-1971), born Max Aronson,
appeared in his first film, The
Messenger Boy's Mistake, in
1902. He played three roles in
The Great Train Robbery, (1903),
considered a classic among early
silent films. Raised in Little Rock,
Ark. Mr. Anderson learned how to
ride a horse only after his acting
debut, but he was instrumental in
launching the American cowboy
movie. In 1908, he starred in The
Bandit Makes Good, the first of
many films about Bronco Billy, a
Robin Hood type bandit of the

Wild West, and he later played
Alkali Ike in another series of
westerns.
Mr. Anderson's last film was
made in 1918. By then, new
cowboy heroes like William S.
Hart had moved into the market.
Forty-seven years later, Bronco
3illy returned to play in The
Bounty Killer with Clint Eastwood.
In 1957, he received an Oscar for
his pioneer work in the film
industry.

Compiled by Dr. Matthew and
Thomas Schwartz.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

L-5