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Jewish Calendar 2010–2011 א ״ תשע 5771SAMPLE CELEBRATING SUKKOT IN JERUSALEM BY NATHAN BRUTSKY— AVIRAM ART GALLERY Rosh Hashanah: September 9–10 Rosh Hashanah celebrates the beginning of creation, when G-d gave breath to human beings. On this day, G-d charged Adam with the responsibility of helping the world reach perfection. Rosh Hashanah, therefore, is a time for us to reflect on the purpose of creation and resolve to make our lives more meaningful by contributing to all of creation. The Shofar: On Rosh Hashanah we hear the sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn. It is the oldest and most soulful of wind instruments, sounding like a primal outcry from the depth of the soul. The sounding of the shofar has many meanings. It heralds a special occasion, signifying that we proclaim G-d as King of the universe. It’s thrilling blasts awaken us to repent and return to G-d and remind us of the shofar heard at Mount Sinai when we accepted G-d’s commandments for all time. Tashlich: On the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah it is customary to visit a natural body of water that contains fish. There we cast our sins down the river of SAMPLE time from which they will never return. Apple & Honey: Dipping a piece of apple Fast of Gedalia: Yom Kippur: September 18 Sukkot: Shemini Atzeret/ into honey at the first meal of Rosh September 12 September 23–29 Simchat Torah: Hashanah is a popular custom, Yom Kippur is a 25 hour fast beginning September 30–October 1 symbolizing the hope that our new year This fast day commemorates the tragic at sunset on September 17th, and The overarching mitzva of Sukkot is joy. will be blessed with sweetness and assassination of Gedalia, the Jewish continuing through nightfall the In the times when our Holy Temple stood On the evening of Simchat Torah and on goodness. For the same reason, it is Governor of Judea who was installed over following night. Although Yom Kippur is in Jerusalem, there was continuous Simchat Torah day (and in some customary to eat other sweet foods, like the country after Nebuchadnezzar’s a solemn day on which we fast, it is not celebration for seven days. Men and communities, on the eve of Shemini tzimmes. invasion of Israel (and the subsequent a sad day. In fact, in a subtle way, it is women, young and old would join in Atzeret as well) great celebrations take Babylonian exile). one of the happiest days of the year, for music, dancing, juggling, and other place in the synagogue focusing on the on Yom Kippur we receive one of G-d’s entertainments. Jew’s connection to the holy Torah. most precious gifts—forgiveness. àìåì úù”ò/úùøé úùò”à úù”ò/úùøé àìåì ◆ September 2010 Elul/Tishrei 5770/71 Tishrei Molad: Wednesday, September 8, 7:36pm + 1 Chelek SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY AUGUST OCTOBER àìåì ë”á àìåì ë”â àìåì ë”ã àìåì ë”ä S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 22 ELUL 23 ELUL 24 ELUL 25 ELUL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 1 2 3 4 Nitzavim– 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Vayelech 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 ë”å àìåì ë”å àìåì ë”æ àìåì ë”ç àìåì ë”è úùøé à’ úùøé á’ úùøé â’ 5 26 ELUL 6 27 ELUL 7 28 ELUL 8 29 ELUL 9 1 TISHREI 10 2 TISHREI 11 3 TISHREI Erev Rosh Rosh Rosh Ha’azinu Hashana Hashana I Hashana II Shabbat Shuva ã’ úùøé ã’ úùøé ä’ úùøé å’ úùøé æ’ úùøé ç’ úùøé è’ úùøé é’ 12 4 TISHREI 13 5 TISHREI 14 6 TISHREI 15 7 TISHREI 16 8 TISHREI 17 9 TISHREI 18 10 TISHREI Fast of Erev Yom Yom Kippur Gedalia Kippur Yizkor é”à úùøé é”à úùøé é”á úùøé é”â úùøé é”ã úùøé è”å úùøé è”æ úùøé é”æ 19 11 TISHREI 20 12 TISHREI 21 13 TISHREI 22 14 TISHREI 23 15 TISHREI 24 16 TISHREI 25 17 TISHREI Erev Sukkot Sukkot I Sukkot II Sukkot III SAMPLE (Shabbat Ch"m) é”ç úùøé é”ç úùøé é”è úùøé ë’ úùøé ë”à úùøé ë”á 26 18 TISHREI 27 19 TISHREI 28 20 TISHREI 29 21 TISHREI 30 22 TISHREI Sukkot IV Sukkot V Sukkot VI Sukkot VII Shmini (Ch"m) (Ch"m) (Ch"m) (Ch"m) Atzeret Hoshana Yizkor Raba JERUSALEM BY BEN AVRAM— AVIRAM ART GALLERY Mitzvah Spotlight: The Mezuzah The mezuzah, a scroll on which a portion of the Torah is written, signifies the sanctity of the Jewish home. It contains the section of the Shema that includes the basic principles of Jewish faith and practice. A mezuzah is placed on the entrances of the home to reflect the holiness of the home that one is about to enter. The decorative case makes the mezuzah more beautiful, but a case without a mezuzah is like the wrapper without the candy. A mezuzah is made in the same manner as the Torah itself: handwritten on sacred parchment in Torah script by an ordained and dedicated scribe who carefully follows the 4649 laws governing its 713 letters and 22 lines. When you purchase a mezuzah for yourself or as a gift, be sure to ascertain its validity. The mezuzah is affixed: 1. On the right door post as one enters the house. 2. In a slanted position with the top pointed toward the inside of the room. SAMPLE 3. In the upper third of the doorpost height. The mezuzah is seen as a special blessing of safety for all who dwell in this particular home, wherever they may be. Since the mezuzah is usually on the outdoor post of the home, exposed to inclement weather conditions and the heat of the sun, it is important to have it checked regularly. ùïëì úùò”à çùåï/ëñìå ◆ November 2010 Cheshvan /Kislev 5771 Kislev molad: Saturday, 6 November 2010, 9:04 PM + 3 Chalakim SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY ë”ã çùåï ë”ã çùåï ë”ä çùåï ë”å çùåï ë”æ çùåï ë”ç çùåï ë”è 1 24 CHESHVAN 2 25 CHESHVAN 3 26 CHESHVAN 4 27 CHESHVAN 5 28 CHESHVAN 6 29 CHESHVAN Toldot ì’ çùåï çùåï ì’ ëñìå à’ ëñìå á’ ëñìå â’ ëñìå ã’ ëñìå ä’ ëñìå å’ 7 30 CHESHVAN 8 1 KISLEV 9 2 KISLEV 10 3 KISLEV 11 4 KISLEV 12 5 KISLEV 13 6 KISLEV Rosh Rosh Vayetzei Chodesh Chodesh Kislev Kislev æ’ ëñìå æ’ ëñìå ç’ ëñìå è’ ëñìå é’ ëñìå é”à ëñìå é”á ëñìå é”â 14 7 KISLEV 15 8 KISLEV 16 9 KISLEV 17 10 KISLEV 18 11 KISLEV 19 12 KISLEV 20 13 KISLEV Vayishlach é”ã ëñìå é”ã ëñìå è”å ëñìå è”æ ëñìå é”æ ëñìå é”ç ëñìå é”è ëñìå ë’ 21 14 KISLEV 22 15 KISLEV 23 16 KISLEV 24 17 KISLEV 25 18 KISLEV 26 19 KISLEV 27 20 KISLEV SAMPLE Vayeshev ë”à ëñìå ë”à ëñìå ë”á ëñìå ë”â OCTOBER DECEMBER 21 KISLEV 22 KISLEV 23 KISLEV S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 28 29 30 1 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 26 27 28 29 30 31 31 CHANUKAH— A SPIRITUAL BATTLE BY MICHOEL OGINCE Chanukah: December 2–9 Chanukah celebrates the miraculous victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian- Greek armies. When the Jewish nation recaptured the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, they found a little jug with just enough oil to light the menorah for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days until more arrived. To commemorate this miracle, we light the menorah (preferably with olive oil) for the eight days of Chanukah, and we savor traditional foods, such as potato latkes, fried in oil. The Menorah: The lit menorah dramatizes and publicizes the Chanukah miracle. Therefore, we light the menorah at night when it shines brightest (except on Friday, when it is lit before sunset) and we put it in a doorway or window so passersby can share the light of the menorah. All family members should participate in this beautiful ceremony of light. We involve the children by customarily distributing Chanukah gelt. On the eve of the first day of Chanukah we light one candle on the menorah, adding one more candle each The Greeks fought to make Judaism a culture and void of G-dliness. night until eight are lit on the night of SAMPLELighting the menorah is our battle emblem—the victory of light over darkness. December 8th. The candles are placed from right to left and are lit from left to right, beginning with the newest candle. Olive oil The Dreidel: The custom of dreidel (tops) The Chanukah Party: Although festive meals to be arranged during the days of for our ancestors, in those days, at this or paraffin candles provide the light of the playing dates back to the time when the meals are not prescribed for the days of Chanukah.