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Happy 2019
12/28/2018 04:40:23 PM
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It’s hard for me to wish people a Happy New Year. It’s not because I don’t want people to be happy. It’s because it doesn't feel like the right season for a new year. Nights are long, and nature is dormant. There is very little “new” reflected in the natural world.
Spring is a better time for a new year. Green shoots push through the muddy ground, deer give birth to their fawns, and the peepers in the vernal ponds begin their enthusiastic chorus. It’s no accident that the first month on the Hebrew calendar is Nisan (called “Aviv” in the Torah). Nisan is the month in which we celebrate Passover, the birth of our people's freedom. It fits.
Even in the secular calendar, the new year used to begin in March. The Roman calendar had ten months. September through December, currently the ninth through twelfth months, were originally positioned as the seventh through tenth months. You can see this reflected in their names: Septem is Latin for seven, octo is eight, novem is nine, and decem is ten.
Julius Caesar decided to reform the calendar in 46 BCE. The Julian calendar added two months to more closely align it with the solar year. January 1 became the first day of the New Year. (January is named for the Roman god Janus, who is said to oversee beginnings, transitions and time.)
Our Jewish community celebrates the New Year in the fall with Rosh Hashanah. Autumn can feel like a new year too. The cooler air re-energizes us after a languid summer, children return to school, and autumn’s vibrant colors freshen up the landscape.
I have no objection if others celebrate a New Year that begins in the winter. Rosh Hashanah gives us a chance to reflect on our lives and consider how we wish to change. Why should others forgo the opportunity to remember the year that has passed and to make resolutions for the coming year?
So, while I can’t bring myself to say “Happy New Year” when it doesn't feel like a new year to me, I can wish you a 2019 filled with many blessings. Happy 2019, everyone!
Fri, March 29 2024
19 Adar II 5784
Temple israel Happenings
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Saturday ,
MarMarch 30 , 2024Midnight Run
Shabbat, Mar 30th 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Volunteers needed. The Midnight Run is a volunteer organization whose goal is to come together as a community in order to feed the homeless of New York City. They coordinate more than 1,000 relief missions per year with volunteers from churches, synagogues, schools and other civic groups to deliver food, clothing, blankets and personal care items to the homeless poor on the streets of New York City. -
Saturday ,
MarMarch 30 , 2024Midnight Run
Motzei Shabbat, Mar 30th 8:00pm to Sunday, Mar 31st 2:00am
Volunteers needed. The Midnight Run is a volunteer organization whose goal is to come together as a community in order to feed the homeless of New York City. They coordinate more than 1,000 relief missions per year with volunteers from churches, synagogues, schools and other civic groups to deliver food, clothing, blankets and personal care items to the homeless poor on the streets of New York City. -
Wednesday ,
AprApril 3 , 2024A Conversation with Dr. Benjamin Sax Moderated by Ed Ginsberg
Wednesday, Apr 3rd 6:10pm to 7:30pm
Moderated by Ed Ginsberg. 6:30 PM talk with a 6:10 PM Pizza community dinner. How do we talk about recent events in Israel to our friends and colleagues? When does criticism of Israel and anti zionism cross the line to antisemitism? What choices do American Jews in confronting these difficult situations? Join us to hear the views of an accomplished scholar and author. -
Thursday ,
AprApril 4 , 2024Israeli Music in Times of Conflict
Thursday, Apr 4th 11:15am to 1:00pm
In this class, we will focus on different aspects of Israeli culture (Music, Art, Literature, Dance and more). In continuing with last year’s format, each session will focus on a different cultural art form. This year, we will do a deep dive into one cultural piece ( a song, a story, a dance) each session. We will explore the time period and context in which it was created, how this creation affected the cultural moment, and how it reflects Israeli society and culture. Through these cultural pieces, we will deepen our exploration of the complexities of the 21st century state of Israel.
Events
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Shabbat Day
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: 2:00pm |
: 8:00pm |
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This week's Torah portion is Parashat Tzav
Shabbat, Mar 30 |
Candle Lighting
Friday, Mar 29, 7:00pm |
Erev Passover
Monday, Apr 22 |