Before Selichot, please join us at 10:00 pm for refreshments and an inspiring speaker immediately preceding Selichot. Please join us to begin the High Holiday season in a meaningful way.

LULAV ORDER FORM

Name:___________________________

Phone:_________________________

Number of Sets:__________ Total enclosed: $________

Price Per Set is $50.00 for members and $55.00 for non-members with higher priced sets also available. My check in the amount of $ ____ is enclosed. Please call Ben Zion Lazovsky to make specific arrangements to pick up your set(s) which will be available after Yom Kippur.

Refuah Shleima to: Joe Fagan and Dorothy Goldberg.

Good Luck to: Yoram & Naama Ben-Shimol and family on their return to Israel.

The focal point of Selichot prayers is the recitation of the 13 attributes of G-d. Tradition teaches us that reciting these attributes evokes Divine mercy. G-d Himself bestowed this tradition to Moshe Rabbenu when he ascended to the heavens to receive the Ten Commandments, Torah and Oral traditions. This year, we will begin Selichot on Motzai Shabbat, September 12, 2009.

Rosh Hashana - September 18-20. On Friday evening, September 18th, we begin the Jewish New Year of 5770. We also begin the period known as the Aseret Yemay Teshuva, Ten Days of Repentance. A most solemn time, Rosh Hashana commemorates the anniversary of mankind’s creation after the creation of the world six days earlier. During the two days of Rosh Hashana, G-d judges the entire world and inscribes the fate of all life. As Jews, we recite various prayers to express our aspirations, and we eat many symbolic foods in hopes of bringing special blessings. During Rosh Hashanah, we observe the custom of Tashlich, in which we go to living bodies of water and recite prayers, thus symbolically casting off our sins. Tashlich should be recited on the second day of Rosh Hashana.

A major focus of Rosh Hashana is the blowing of the shofar. Because this year the first day of Rosh Hashana is Shabbat, we only blow Shofar on the second day. One hundred kolot, or notes, blown during various portions of the service remind us of the Almighty’s coronation as King of the Universe, awaken our sleeping hearts from their lethargy to return to the Almighty and help us recount the story of Abraham sacrificing a ram in place of his son. Our sages teach us that the ashes of the ram of Isaac are maintained in a bag underneath the throne of Almighty G-d. Whenever the Jewish people are in danger of being punished by the Almighty, He looks at these ashes, remembers the actions of Abraham and Isaac and grants the Jewish people forgiveness and mercy. We pray for G-d’s mercy and hope that we, like Isaac, will be spared. We also pray for forgiveness for the previous year’s transgressions and implore the Creator for a year where we will perform Mitzvot unstintingly, a year of good health, peace and prosperity on the merit of our teshuva - repentance.

Tzom Gedaliah - September 21. The fast day of Tzom Gedaliah takes place the day after Rosh Hashana. The fast commemorates the murder of Gedaliah ben Achikam, who was a Jewish leader appointed by our conquerors after the destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C.E. With his assassination by one of his countrymen, Jews lost their stake in self-rule even in the Diaspora.

Yom Kippur - September 27-28. Yom Kippur is the unique day of the year dedicated to forgiveness, mercy and conciliation between G-d and the Jewish people. This year it begins on Sunday evening, September 27, with the ceremony of Kol Nidre, a prayer to annul any unfulfilled oaths or vows. Speech is the attribute that distinguishes man from the rest of the animal kingdom. Accordingly, we are very concerned with the punishments that may occur for deliberate or accidental transgressions concerning our speech. The holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, commemorates G-d’s forgiveness of the Israelites, whose sin was the worship of the golden calf after they received the Ten Commandments. It is a day when we are commanded to shed our earthly limitations and aspire to emulate the angels. Accordingly, we abstain from eating, drinking, wearing leather shoes, anointing, washing and marital relations. By observing these prohibitions, we transcend our physical existence and are elevated to a higher spiritual state, so we are better able to pray for ourselves, our loved ones, our families and for all of Israel. On Yom Kippur, G-d evaluates our actions during the Ten Days of Repentance and determines whether our actions were sincere or empty. On the merit of repentance, prayer and charity, we are able to avert the severe decree that may have been ordained during Rosh Hashanah. As we have been forgiven in the past through positive and sincere acts of repentance, may we be forgiven in the future. We pray for a new year filled with all of G-d’s blessings for us, our extended families and for all our people.

Sukkot begins Friday evening, October 1, and continues through October 9. It commemorates the time when G-d took the Jewish people out of Egypt and housed them in the “Annanei Hakavod - Clouds of Glory” that protected the Jewish people; therefore we dwell in sukkot, or temporary huts. Sukkot is the holiday of perfection, completion and the Jewish people’s greatest joy. The first two days of Sukkot are known as “yom tov” (holidays) where most “melechah” (creative activity) is prohibited. They are followed by “Chol Hamoed” (Intermediate Days), which are hybrid, in that they have aspects of both holidays and regular week days.

Sukkot is also called “Chag Haasif - Festival of the Gathering”, when we look back at the recently concluded growing season and take great pride in our achievements. However, even though Sukkot is a most joyous time, it is also a time of great spiritual danger. Jews must never believe that the great bounty and blessing bestowed upon them was achieved solely through their efforts, or that the bounty is the ultimate goal. It is the Almighty who bestows such abundance for the purpose of enabling our spiritual development and perfection. Accordingly, we leave our comfortable homes and make the succah our permanent dwelling for an entire week. We leave the abundance of harvest time to eat and sleep in the succah, which helps us remember the Exodus from Egypt and the seven Divine clouds which enveloped the Jewish people from the north, south, east, west, above, below and in front, that sheltered us during our travels in the wilderness. By leaving our homes, we realize that unless the Divine presence is there to protect us, we are not safe even in the largest, most fortified castle.

When eating in the succah, we invite seven “Ushpizin” or guests. These guests were the essential leaders of the Jewish people: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and King David. We invite these guests because each represents one of the seven spiritual attributes needed to perfect our souls in service of the Creator. Jewish mysticism explains these characteristics to include: kindness, valor, splendor, eternity, glory, foundation, and kingship. Every day of Sukkot, with the exception of Shabbat, when they are not touched, one blessing is recited over the four species - the Etrog, Lulav, Hadasim and Aravot. The first time we take them on the holiday, this year the second day, we also recite Shehechiyanu. The four species are also used in the Hallel prayer, which is a prayer that praises and thanks the Almighty. Prior to the conclusion of the morning prayers, a Torah is taken out of the Ark and brought to the “bimah - central podium.” Congregants recite special prayers while holding the four species in their hands and make one complete “Hakafa” (revolution or circuit) around the Torah and Bimah in commemoration of the circuits that were made in the Temple. On the last of the intermediate days, known as Hoshanah Rabbah, seven circuits are made, after which willows are beaten on the floor to symbolize the end of the high holiday period of judgement.

Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah October 9, 10, and 11 - At Sukkot’s end, Jews immediately celebrate the holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. The Midrash, or Bible commentary, teaches that on Sukkot we are concerned with all humanity. However, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah is a holiday just for the Almighty and the Jewish people. The holidays remind us that material needs and wants are fleeting illusions; the realm of the spirit is the only true and permanent domain. We recite the Yizkor, or memorial prayer, during Shemini Atzeret to remember those who have gone before us and set out paths for us to follow. On Simchat Torah, Jews dance and rejoice with their entire being as we conclude the reading of the Torah, and then, immediately begin reading the Torah once again. In spite of tremendous adversity, oppression and exile, we have been promised that the Torah will always guard and protect us. Even if all else is taken away from the Jewish people, the Torah will always remain.

We would like to thank all of our hard-working volunteers for the tremendous efforts you show and for all of the hard work that you do. Our Shul is lucky to have such capable people willing and ready to help. L'shana Tova!