HA DAS SAH To Life! The Greater Detroit diapter H 0 L D Y of Haclassak presents ._, EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JEWISH GENETIC DISEASES & Observe, Celebrate Closing days of Sukkot end the High Holidays season. THE PROMISE OF STEM CELLS Learn about common genetic disorders affecting the Jewish population. Elizabeth Applebaum Special to the Jewish News GREGORY A. GRABOWSKI, M.D. H CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, oshanah Rabbah and Shemini Atzeret: The seventh day of Sukkot is Hoshanah Rabbah (Oct. 13), both a festival and a day of judgment. According to tradition, on Rosh Hashanah God made his decision regarding our futures. He sealed it on Yom Kippur. Yet we have until Hoshanah Rabbah to mend our ways before God makes His judgment final. Synagogue services on Hoshanah Rabbah include worshippers hold- ing an etrog and lulav and making seven circuits around the sanctuary, during which time special prayers, or Hashanas, are said. The last day of the holiday season is Shemini Atzeret (Oct. 14). Known as "the festival of conclusion," it is mentioned in the Tanach, Hebrew Bible, as "a holy convocation." Shemini Atzeret has the distinction of being both part of Sukkot and a separate holiday. Observant families do not drive, work or write on Shemini Atzeret (and follow all other rules associated with any major Jewish observance). DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN GENETICS Learn about the promise of stem cell research as the hope for future treatment and potential cures for a myriad of diseases. DANNY HEUMANN VICE PRESIDENT, DANIEL HEUMANN FUND FOR SPINAL CORD RESEARCH THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2006 6:45 P.M AT ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE 29901 MIDDLEBELT ROAD FARMINGTON HILLS, MI EVENT IS FREE PLEASE CALL HADASSAH AT 248.683.5030 FOR RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION AN APPLICATION HAS BEEN MADE TO PROVIDE CEUS FOR R.N.S. • Unable to eat what you want? Tired of the taste and feel o-g messy denture adhesives? Trouble speaking clearly? Call for FREE consultation or Second Opinion New Dental Mini Implants John Kazanowski, D.D.S. 31700 Telegraph Rd. Suite 100 Bingham Farms 248-433-6000 www.drkazdds.com 38 October 12 • 2006 1170290 But there are no real rituals for the holiday. The one exception comes during davening, when congrega- tions recite Hallel and Yizkor, and say a prayer for rain called Tefillat Geshein. (This is rainfall season in Israel, and we wish for farmers all that they will need.) Reciting Tefillat Geshem is a prac- tice that began in talmudic times. A priest would fill a golden pitcher with water. When he returned from this task, a crowd watched as he poured the water and wine into a container on the Temple altar. Simchat Torah: Simchat Torah (literally, "rejoicing with the Torah") is observed at the end of Sukkot, on Sunday, Oct. 15. Here are a few com- pelling tidbits about the holiday you may not have known: • Simchat Torah is completely rab- binic in origin. It is not even men- tioned in the Tanach. • It is the only time during the year when we read from the Torah at night (and then again the next morning). • It's one of the rare times we see all the congregation's Torah scrolls. During davening, each scroll is removed from the ark, then held by someone (preferably a person with a few muscles; those scrolls can be heavy) who dances with the sefer Torah around the synagogue or temple. It's traditional to dance seven times (called hakefot) about the sanc- tuary, with every completed round fol- lowed by a lot of singing, dancing and merriment. • Simchat Torah is a time -when everyone, regardless of age, can receive an aliyah to the Torah. • In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah coincide. Outside of Israel, where we add an extra day to Sukkot, Simchat Torah is a day unto itself.