The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1916-09-30

day "itr - g = =
SHUTDOWN sganesday y,
the first day of the JeI month
the Jewish high holidays. These
holidays, Of deep religious slgnlfl-
eance, commence with the feast
of Rosh HashonaI1, or New Year. The
New Year will be followed by ten
days of penitence, which reach their
climax in the Day of Atonement,
Oct. z.
'sOn the New Year all the inhab-
itants of the earth pass before Him
as sheep before a shepherd In
these words the ancient Jewish law
book, the Mishna, refers to the sig.
nifcance Of this day. It is a day OF
Judgment when the sins and the mer-
its of all men are weighed by the Di-
vine Judge. The Halmud tells that
in this annual New Years Judgment
scene three books lie open before the
Most High. In one book, the book OF
life. the names of the perfectly
righteous, the sinless, are inscribed
the second book, the book of death,
has recorded in it the names of the
utterly wiQAed; and the third book IS ;
for the nary middle type" OF
men, in whose behalf judgment IS
SUSPENDED through the ten days OF
penitenee, until the Day of Atone
ment, when the decision is finally
made and recorded.
The services for the day are espe--
cially solemn. Prayers IN prose and
poetry, dwelling upon the theme OF
Gods Judgment of man, are reclted
and sung. The rams horn, the "sho-
far" summoning men to prayer and
is sounded in all syna-
gogues. At the close Of the service
the worshippers greet each other with
the words, MAY you be written down
for a good year. .
Orthodox Je@S observe many cere,
monies which Suggest the ideas and
emotions of the day. In the nome
honey and fruits are eaten and the
pious wish expressed, MAY it be Thy
will to renew to us good and sweet
year" During the day orthodox
Jews go to a river, shake crumbs
from their clothes and recite among
other prayers the verse from Micah,
"And YOU will cast into the depths OF
the sea all their sins" While ortho-
dox Jews observe the feast for two
DAYS. reform Jews return to the an
Gent Palestinian custom and observe
but one day.
Services in commemoration Of the
notable holiday were held in Blkur
Cholim Synagogue Wednesday eve
ming and Thursday forenoon and were
attended by large congregations:
They were conducted by Raphael
Singer, assisted by Walter Lemann
and Sol. Klotz. The solemnity OF the
impressive ceremonies was intensified
by the beautiful musical selections
rendered by the choir, composed OF
Mrs. F. B. Lemann, Mrs. W. A. Poche,
Miss Ethel Werner and Miss Mildred
Buquoi, with Miss Nita Sims as or
ganist.
The Day of Atonement (Yom Kip
pur) will be observed by the mem
bers of Bikur Cholim Congregation
with services next Friday evening at
z o'clock and Saturday at 10 a. m.
On the latter day the services will
continue until s o'clock in the after
noon. Memorial services will be held
at 4 p, m. The public is cordially in
vited to attend all the ceremonies.
Yom Kippur is intended to complete
and crown the work of the penitential
season, and is spent in prayer and
meditation The devout Israelite on
tbic occasion uakaS q clynrarna effort
to cleanse himself of all sin, to make
friends with his enemies, and to leave
the temple reconciled with his God,
with his neighbors and with himself.