The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-09-28

OBSERVE
NEW YEAR
Solemn Services are Held in Recognition
Of Rash Hashahanah or 'Day
Of Memorial

| Ol MemOIldl
With many of the places Of business
closed, Hebrews in Chickasha are TO-
day holding solemn religious services
in celebration Of the Jewish New Year.
The services are being conducted in
the Masonic han with S. j. Goldsmith
in charge, the impressive forms of the
Hebrew ritual being followed. Ac-
cording to ancient custom the ceremo-
nies began last evening and will not
be concluded till tomorrow
Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New
Year, also called Yom Hazikoror.
DAY Of Memorial fell this year on
Thursday, September %. 1t commenc-
ed however the evening previous since
by the Bible usage the days are count
ed from sun-down to sun-down
The more orthodox observe not only
Thursday. bus Friday as well, it being
their custom to keep a second day in
connection with practically all the
more important Jewish holidays and
| festivals. This custom on their part
grew out Of certain complex conditions
| in the calendation of early rabinical
times and the practice, once establish
ed has been kept up by them, even
though the original reason no longer
obtains. The Reform Jews observe
only the day scripturally prescribed
The date of Rosh Hashanah is the
| first day OF the month of Tishri and
the New Year now to be ushered in,
is, according to the traditional Jewish
Calendar the year 5677.
| Unlike January 1st, Rash Hashanah
has been fully able to resist seculari-
zation. II is in form and spirit holy
day distinctiyely-not holiday, as ex-
planned by the Jewish Tract Commits
sion. Solemn services characterize its
observance both evening and morning
1t is a time dedicated to retrospection
| introspection and resolutions for the
future. The day bears the special des-
ignation Of Yom ha-Din or a Day of
Judgment With quaint mysticism the
old tradition represent the souls Of
men as being on this day before the
divine Tribunal at the annual assizes
on high. The great Recording Books
lie open and the individual destinies
are set down but (and this is the sig
nificant element in the conception)
the award in each given case must be
sealed by the person himself; meaning
thereby that tho the varying issues of
the New Year proceed from Gods PROV
idence, no ones future is determined
apart from what he himself is and
does. Out of the above conception has
grown up the familiar greeting inter
changed by Jews on Rash Hashanah,
namely, "leshonah tovah tikasevu,'
MAY you be inscribed for a good
yearl"
An important feature of the ritual
of Rash Hashanah is the blowing of
the Shofar or Rams horn In ancient
days the sounding of this instrument
was associated with times of national
crisis and other solemn occasions
There are various fanciful explana-
tions Of the connection of Rosh Hasha-
nah. Each of its dominant notes like
wise has been given symbolic signif
icance AS the tones of the Shofar are
|of a peculiarly piercing quality the
sounding of the Shofar may be regard.
ed as clarion-call to the conscience
to strive after the higher life in the
New Year The prominence accorded
to the ceremony Of the sounding of the
Shofar during the services has made
Rosh Hashanah known as the Yom
ha-Teruah, "the day of the Sounding
of the Shofar"