My first Yom Kippur Service

 Washington, D.C., Lincoln Memorial.

September 22, 2015

Although I am involved with Jews and Judaism for a long time, and been to Synagogues, done most things... this was my first Yom Kippur attendance.

As usual I felt home with the group, I did not know the songs, but the idea is same whether it is Muslims singing Milaad, Hindus singing Bhajans, Sikhs singing Shabad or Christians doing Carols... the spirit is same, you feel at peace, connected with the self and some time sanctimonious.

The Rabbi from Philadelphia floored me, this would have been clearly my sermon - conversation revolving around building cohesive societies, justice and accountability. I fully connected with his sermon, he will share it soon, then you can see our expressions are so similar.

He was all praise for Pope and indeed said similar things I have said and written about Pope Francis.

I am writing for the 1000th time, Judaism and Islam are mirror images of each other. Sadly, like all other religions, these two are no exceptions in having people claim to follow the faith, but really they do not. If every follower of every religion follows his or her religion, there will not be any problem.

In the pictures, I have taken a picture of the card I filled, as every one was asked to fill.
Good experience, thanks to my friend Ilan Leibowitz for inviting me.

Article about Yom Kippur is similar the talks I have heard today. 

Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah Greetings from American Muslims

Happy Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur | TheGhouseDiary.com 

Washington, D.C., September 22, 2015 - American Muslims wish a very Happy Yom Kippur  to all of our Jewish friends across the globe.

 

Leshana Tova. 

 

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year that takes place in the month of Tishri and celebrates Creation.  Jews observe the Lunar Calendar, and as such the festivities occur 11 days earlier in each successive year on the Gregorian calendar. 

 

On the day of Rosh Hashanah G-d opens the Book of Life and observes his creatures, and decides their fate for the coming year. What follows for the next 10 days is self-reflection to justify one's existence to God, a period called Shabbat Shuva, and on the 10th day, God closes your book and it is a time for the celebration; Happy Yom Kippur.

 

Indeed Muslims can relate this festivity with Ramadan where Eid is the capstone celebration at the end of a month long fasting and reflection. Jains with Paryushun, Hindus with Navaratri ending in Dussehra on the 10th day, and Christians with 40 days of lent thru resurrection on Easter.

Rabbi Michael Lerner writes, " We engage in honest, wrenching self-evaluation; we create practical strategies for changing in the future; and, as a result, the day cleanses us from the residues of past failures. "Kippur" in biblical Hebrew means "cleansing." We feel reborn, and that is a source of great joy. Indeed, this joyous rebirth is one of the reasons that the holiday of Succos five days later is called "the time of our joy."

 

Rabbi continues, "The same applies to all spiritual rejoicing: it must embrace the whole person, including the body. Of course it is not the food alone. The feast involves love and camaraderie for family, friends, and guests, as well as song and words of Torah inspiration. In that way, the pleasure of eating becomes part of the spiritual joy. But the joy is not complete without the food-without the body. "

In synagogues people pray to God to forgive them for their wrongdoings and to give them a good year - during the service a Shofar, or ram's horn, is blown, to alert congregants to the seriousness of the festival and the fact that God is deciding their fates for the coming year - which will be sealed on the Day Of Atonement ten days later.

 

May we all reflect on our lives and make a commitment to be a good human for the next year.  Happy Rosh Hashanah, and Happy Yom Kippur.

"Festivals of the World" is an educational series by Mike Ghouse since 1993. When we live in the same communities as neighbors, we might as well learn about each other. The best way to build cohesive societies is for its members to participate in festivities as well as commemorations of each other, or, at least understand each others' joys and sorrows. Please note the simplicity in writing is designed for people of other faiths to learn and to know, so we can function cohesively.

America Together Foundation is all about bringing Americans Together for a peaceful, safe and secure America. Foundation for Pluralism is part of America Together Foundation.

 

God bless us all, and God bless America!

 

Mike is a speaker, thinker, writer, pluralist, TV-Radio commentator and a human rights activist committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His info in 63 links at MikeGhouse.net and writings at TheGhouseDiary.com 

Happy Rosh Hashanah, Ganeshi Chaturthi and Paryushan

Rosh Hashanah - Happy New year to our Jewish friends, a time to reflect on the past year and lookforward to the next with a commitment to do the personal share of repairing the world - Tikkun Olam - Happy Rosh Hashanah


Paryushan -  A time to reflect in the Jain tradition, celebrations after a week long fasting and greeting Michami Dukadam - Let you and I clean our slates and start the new year afresh - Happy Paryushan

Ganesh Chaturthi - My Hindus friends seek blessings of the creator, the one who removes the hurdles and paves the way for a better tomorrow. Happy Ganesh Chaturthi

I have been writing the essence of each festival for the past 20 years, of all faiths, this time due to time limitations, I just wish a very happy festival to all my friends.

Pluralist Mike Ghouse www.MikeGhouse.net

The Spirit of Rosh Hashanah - Festivals of the World

Shalom,

Years ago, I had a Radio show called “Festivals of the World” a 15 minutes weekly segment where we shared the essence of festivals that happened that week.   Wish you all the best on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. Next year, Insha Allah, I will study and write the essence of  Rosh Hashanah from a lay person’s perspective.  This year, I am borrowing from a beautiful write up by Jacqueline O' Sullivan.

Leshana tova tikateiv v'techateim." and "Leshana tova tikateivi veti
Wish ya'll the best on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah
Joy and Judgment
Jacqueline O' Sullivan explains the annual celebration.

The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) takes place in the month of Tishri (September and October on the Gregorian calendar) and commemorates the anniversary of Creation. It is on this day that G-d opens the Book of Life and observes his creatures, deciding their fate for the coming year.

It is a time of restricted rejoicing because, even though it celebrates HaShem's kingship, the celebrations are muted in acknowledgement of the great judgment taking place.

As is customary in Jewish festivals, observance begins on nightfall the day before Rosh Hashanah. Celebrants prepare by bathing, receiving haircuts, donning special clothes and giving treats to children.

Certain types of work are forbidden, though there are some exceptions. Food preparation and the carrying, transferring or increasing of the fire is all permitted. Women of the household light commemorative candles before sunset of the first night and a half-hour before sunset on the second night of Rosh Hashanah, reciting blessings over them.

Though G-d opens the Book of Life on Rosh Hashanah the judgment is not final. The book is 'sealed' on Yom Kippur, ten days later. The time between these two festivals is known as Shabbat Shuva (The Shabbat of Returning). This is a period for self-reflection in which to justify your existence to G-d. Rosh Hashanah is the only Jewish celebration that lasts for two days, signifying the importance of this date in the calendar.

Prayers play an important part in the proceedings. Intense and lengthy devotions on Rosh Hashanah vary from those normally uttered on Sabbath with even the familiar prayers containing subtle differences. Following the evening prayer people will wish each other a Good New Year. There are also specific greetings for each sex. A man is wished, "Leshana tova tikateiv v'techateim." A woman is bid, "Leshana tova tikateivi vetichatemi." . The Yiddish equivalent is a "gut yoar."

Following lunch on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the ritual of the Casting is performed. Crumbs of bread are tossed into water after the Torah verse, "And you will cast all their sins into the depth of the sea." The hems of the worshippers' garments are shaken alluding to the fact that sins are being cast away.

One of the essential elements of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar. The shofar is made from an animal's horn, preferably a ram. The cow's horn is not acceptable, nor is any animal horn that's a solid piece.

The horn is blown 100 times every day of Rosh Hashanah upon the command of HaShem with different meanings attached to the varying sounds. The Tekiah is one long 'blast' with a clear tone. The Skevarium is a 'broken' sighing sound of three short calls. The Teruah is the 'alarm' of a rapid series of nine or more quick short notes.

The command to blow the shofar comes from the Torah, but no explanation is attached. Rabbis have provided different reasons. It acts as a reminder for the soul to enter into repentance. It is also a warning to the Jewish people not to fall into temptation. It calls to mind the blasts blown by Moses when he ascended from Mount Sinai for the second time, after pleading with G-d for mercy for the Jews who had worshipped at the alter of a false God.

The shofar blower recites two blessings - the community must listen to the blessings and respond 'Amen' to both. It is forbidden to speak once the first blast is sounded until the last one is blown.

The Jewish New Year takes place around September/October, and is considered one of the most important and serious holidays (or High Holy Days) in the Jewish calendar. As well as being a time for celebration it is also a time for reflection and repentance for sins committed in the previous year. In synagogue, people pray to God to forgive them for their wrongdoings and to give them a good year - during the service a Shofar, or ram's horn, is blown, to alert congregants to the seriousness of the festival and the fact that God is deciding their fates for the coming year - which will be sealed on the Day Of Atonement ten days later. This period is known as The Ten Days Of Repentance and is traditionally a solemn time.

However, Rosh Hashanah is also a time for celebration - other traditions include eating apples dipped in honey in the hope that this will lead to a sweet year.

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Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day to the media and the public. He is a speaker thinker and a writer on the topics of pluralism, cohesive societies, Politics, Islam, interfaith, India and Peace. Over a thousand articles have been published on the topics and two of his books are poised to be released on Pluralism and Islam. Mike's work is reflected in 4 website's and 27 Blogs indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/ and you can find all of his current articles at www.TheGhousediary.com