Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-08-28
JEWISH NEW YEAR
 SEPTEMBER 8 Rosll Hashona Will Be Ap- propriately Observed by Pine Bluff $ Jewish Peo- pie This Year, as Usual.
WILL CLOSE STORES
Day Is an EventfMl One in Jewish Life Begins Sunday Evening at Sun. down-HOw the Day Is Celebrated
 Here and Eisewhere-The Custom

ROsh HaShona, or the first day of the Jewish secular year 566S, will be observed by Pine Bluff and other He brews on Sunday, September 8, and l it will be begun at sunset.
 The Jewish calendar contains two New Year days. Rosh Hashona is held 1 by tradition to be the day on which | God created the earth. It falls either in September or October of the Chris tian year, being reckoned by the new moon of the seventh month, Tishri Abib is the first month in the religious year, and corresponds with March or April, the year dating from the moon after the vernal equinox. The pro- phets speak of the sacred year, while those in secular employment reckon it by the civil.
 The celebration of Rosh Hashona IS established by Mosaic precept. Tn Leviticus xxiii, A and 25, 1t says Speak unto the children of Israel, saying in the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have 8 Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein, but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord'
 Business is generally suspended in Hebrew commercial circles during the New Year celebration. The Jewish temples and synagogues are thronged with worshipers. Among the orthodox Hebrews the festival lasts two days. The Reformed Jews celebrate it for one day only. As the priestly suc- cession has been lost, the burnt offer ing can no longer be made. The trumpets are blown. In the more conservative synagogues the shofars, or rams horns, are used. In the Re formed synagogues brass instruments are often used. Experts are employ ed to produce the inharmonious notes. blasts. One is prolonged, as if the blower were bound to expend every particle of breath in his body. Anoth- CT is short and tremulOus. The thir,l is broken or disconnected. The laF- ter has been defined as a reminder Of the broken vows and promises of the children of Isreal. These blasts are blown at frequent intervals during tue day. They are always followed by short melodies, some of which are sung with great zest by the members of the congregation.
 On New Years day two scrolls of the law, or the Five Books of Moses, are taken from the ark ,or sanctuary, and borne amid impressive ceremonies to the reading desk. One is then un- rolled and sections read to six me1n- bers of the congregation, who are "called up." From the second scroll single section is read to a single member. The passages read are ap- propriate for the day. The reading desk and the sanctuary are covered with a rich white material trimmed with silver and gold and present a very fine appearance.
 After the services the members re- turn to their homes, where they re- fresh themselves and exchange greet ings. The day is each year getting to be more and more of social affair. Beautiful cards and gifts are exchang- ed. The cards this year are very beautiful. The prevailing styles are lainty white cards with the New Years greeting printed on them in He brew. Some of them also have al greeting in English.