EAST COAST FINISHERS INC
rosh hashanah »
continued from page 68
7
All work done
by professional
craftsmen
8
t Painting
t Plaster
t Rough Carpentry
t Finish Carpentry
t Drywall Hanging
t Specializing in
Historical Homes
5
It is traditional to fast on the
day after Rosh Hashanah. The
Fast of Gedalyah is not a cleanse
for those who overindulged at holiday
meals, but a day set aside to commem-
orate the assassination of Gedalyah,
the Babylonian-appointed official
charged with administering the Jewish
population remaining in Judea follow-
ing the destruction of the Temple in
586 B.C.E. Unlike Yom Kippur, which
comes just a few days later, this fast
lasts only from sunrise to sundown.
If you are thinking of remodeling, adding an addition,
even painting your home, you have come to the right
place! At East Coast Finishers, all work is done by
professionals who specialize in their trade – all members
of our crew and never sub-contractors.
We back every warranty 100% !!!
All exterior painting has a
5 YEAR WARRANTY
CALL NOW!!
FREE ESTIMATES!!
248-773-6671 OR 844-366-9966
or email us
estimates@eastcoastfi nishers.com
We will return your call at your convenience
7
American Jews used to
exchange telegrams for Rosh
Hashanah. A lot of them.
In 1927, the Western Union
Telegraph Company reported that
Jewish people send telegrams of con-
gratulations and well-wishing much
more frequently than members of
any other group. In particular, they
Been in Business over 40 years
30300 Northwestern HWY, Suite 147,
Farmington Hills MI 48334
Visit us at: www.eastcoastfi nishers.com
000000
70 September 29 • 2016
6
If Rosh Hashanah feels “late”
this year, that’s because it
is. The latest date that Rosh
Hashanah can fall on the Gregorian
calendar is Oct. 5 (as happened in
1967 and will happen again in 2043).
This year isn’t quite that late, but it’s
on the later end because we are in a
Jewish leap year — which is more
complicated than the Gregorian leap
year of adding a day to February
every four years. To coordinate the
traditional lunar year with the solar
year and ensure that the season in
which a holiday falls remains consis-
tent, Judaism worked out a system of
19-year cycles, during which there
are seven leap years. Instead of add-
ing a day, the Jewish calendar adds
a full month — a second Adar — to
the year.
9
exchanged thousands of messages
for Rosh Hashanah. “So great has the
volume of this traffic become that
the Western Union has instituted a
special service similar to those for
Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter,”
JTA wrote. “This special service,
started in 1925, showed a 30 percent
increase in 1926.”
8
Rosh Hashanah was not always
the Jewish New Year. In the
Torah, the beginning of the
year was clearly set at the begin-
ning of the month of Nisan, in the
spring. However, sometime between
the Torah and the codification of the
Mishnah, Rosh Hashanah became the
primary new year. The reasons are
unclear although some scholars theo-
rize that it was because neighboring
peoples in the ancient Near East cel-
ebrated their new years at this time.
9
The shofar, the traditional ram’s
horn blown on Rosh Hashanah,
is, well, stinky. You have to get
close to one to notice, but a common
complaint is that these horns smell
bad. According to online vendor the
Shofar Man, all kosher shofars have
a bit of a scent because they come
from a dead animal. To mitigate the
odor, he suggests applying a sealant
to the inside of the shofar. Believe
it or not, several competing prod-
ucts are marketed exclusively for the
purpose of removing or neutralizing
shofar smells. We can’t vouch for any
of them, but perhaps if they don’t
work for your shofar, you could use
them for your shoes, bathroom or car.
Happy New Year!
*
Courtesy of MyJewishLearning.com.