Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-26
JEWS CELEBRATING TODAY
THE YEAR 5000 BEGAN LAST
NIGHT.
Special Services in All Local Syna'
gogues Are Well Attended.
Origin of Feast.

Among the Jews of the District today is
being observed as New Year day. The
holiday. known as Rosh Hashona. began
last evening at o'clock and will continue
until o'clock this evening. 1t begins
the year 1864.
In the local Jewish synagogues appro-
pirate services were held last evening ana mo
this morning At the temple or the
Washington Hebrew Congregation las,
evening special music was rendered anu
the sermon by Rev. DR.. Abram simon
was in keeping with the spirit or the non
day. In tie temple of the orthodox oe"
the services were elaborate.
Rosh Hashona is preceded bye the ten
DAVIS of awe and repentance. ana Is lol-
lowed ten days later by Iom kippur OF
the day of atonement and TINS peiiou
forms the season of awe and renglous
ferver and exultation in Jewish life nile
the reform Jews will only observe TO-DAY
or the period from sunset yesterday 10
sunset TODAY as the New Year the holl-
day among the orthodox Will extend INTO
tomorrow and until Sunday evening. ms
observance of the New Year for two days
among the orthodox Jews is due 10 d
doubt which exists in the minds or the
Jews in regard to Jewish chronology ana
as to the correspondence between the
time here and in Palestine, where the
festival was first ordained. Inc jews
living in the Holy Land observe only the
first day OF the holiday.
The festival is ordained in the Blble
Numbers xxxix:D. in the following
words: And in the seventh month on the
first day of the month ye shall nave a
holy convocaton; ye shall do no serVlle
work: it Is a day Of blowing the trumpets
unto you" From this the festival is also
known as Yon Teruah 1.-The day of blow
ing" and during the service the blasts are
given on the schofer or rams horn. Rosh
Hashona is lSo regarded as a comemora-
alton of the creation of the world and as
such the day is also known in Hebrew as
Yom Hazzikaron, "the day of remem-
brance" The New Year is also referred to
as the Yom Hadin or the day of judg-
ment, for. according to the ancient BELIEF,
the yearly day of judgment for all men
and animals comes at TINS time. Inc
saving grace of repentance may avert
the punishment to ensue for the year fol-
lowing and enroll ones name in the Book
of Life, if repentance be mode before the
day of atonement. ten days later.
The blowing of the schofer. according to
some of the ancient Jewish teachers, Is
symbolic of the Jewish religious duties
and of the ancient blessing of God. In
biblical times the schofer was used for
announcing all feStal occasions: now It's
use is chiefly confined to the ritual and
wherever the services are prescribed there
shall be three sets of blasts. to the angels
Sharshia and Thorthiel and lastly to all
angels implOring their help
This being a time of repentance and
Judgment the attendance of religious
services on Rosh Hashona is regarded
as an imperative necessity and even those
who are lax and Indifferent to Judaism
return to the fold during this season.
The Jews who attend the synagogue
only during the high holidays constitute
a class by themselves and are known as
''Yom Kippur Jews
Rosh Hashona is the time for the ex-
change of greetings and the mails will
for the next two days be crowded with
IInhrnur Now Year cards