High Holiday services are stressful
Clergy can only hope the Jews in the pews appreciate the mix of planning and spontaneity required to keep services moving and congregants engaged
RABBI AVI FINEGOLD
FOUNDER, THE JEWISH LEARNING LIBRARY, MONTREAL
RABBI PHILIP SCHEIM
BETH DAVID B’NAI ISRAEL BETH AM CONGREGATION, TORONTO
Rosh Hashanah: a time to look back – and forward
While Rosh Hashanah does not require a list of hastily conceived resolutions, it does challenge us to rethink what we have done, who we are and, most importantly, where we want to be.
What was the past year like? I can only tell you about mine.
Rosh Hashanah – Do Jews do New Year’s better?
Ahh, Rosh Hashanah. A time for new beginnings. Literally, the “head of the year.” And not just any head – a Yiddishen kop.
The rituals of the Gregorian calendar’s New Year on Jan. 1 are institutionalized – overpriced “parties,” awkward kisses at midnight, unachievable expectations and the inevitable morning-after clean-ups and letdowns.
Shul membership is about more than getting a good deal
Up and down Bathurst Street in Toronto, the sidewalks are cluttered with sandwich boards advertising synagogue membership, with offers such as, “New member pricing,” “Student discounts,” and “Young family discount.” The advertising for membership is a far cry from generations gone by when people went to synagogues that reflected their ancestry, such as the Kiever, Anshe Minsk or Hebrew Men of England.
Salads can add colour and crunch
The four weeks of the High Holidays are often preceded by the angst of trying to create menus that are in turns delicious, creative, traditional, untraditional and easy to make.
My goal, with the following recipes, is to help you create the appearance of a gourmet start to your meal on a pennies budget. Simple, elegant salads that you can prepare before you head out to shul and plate just before everyone sits down to eat.
Setting healthy goals for Rosh Hashanah
With the new year approaching, for many this is as good a time as any to set some health goals for the upcoming year.
In an ideal world, you would wake up a “new you” on Rosh Hashanah, able to achieve all of your goals immediately, but this just isn’t how it works for most people. As a result, even those chocolate lovers and exercise haters who vow to quit chocolate cold turkey and start exercising daily after the holiday often find themselves skipping the gym to eat candy only days or weeks later.
Daily questions to help guide personal reflection
With the High Holidays around the corner, I have noticed my usual light bout of pre-holiday anxiety. So much always seems to ride on this part of the Jewish calendar. For strong believers, there’s the spiritual reckoning. For the less religious who still care about affiliation, there’s the loaded nature of synagogue attendance, compounded by the challenge of pricey tickets. And for the simply social, there’s the pressure of ensuring some communal marking of the calendar.
Recipes for your vegetarian Rosh Hashanah
If your Rosh Hashanah guest list this year includes vegetarians don’t fret, just follow a few simple steps.
First of all, talk to your guests to see what they can eat. Are they vegetarians or vegans? Vegetarians will usually eat eggs and milk products. Vegans only eat food that are vegetable based, no animal products at all.
Try to choose a menu that will suit everyone at your table. Usually at holiday time, there are several assorted dishes to choose from.
Jewish soul food links Jewish foods and beliefs
In the preface of Jewish Soul Food, author Carol Ungar writes, “Even more than in the synagogue, Jewish life takes place around the dining table.”
ASK ELLA: Food for thought at Rosh Hashanah
Dear Ella,
This past year has been difficult. I watched my father die of Alzheimer’s disease. My youngest teenage son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and his situation put a horrible strain on our marriage. My husband and I are not quite separated, but we live like strangers in the same house.
I am not a religious person, but oddly I found myself praying to God on more than one occasion seeking help or answers of how to get through this.
