The Donaldsonville chief., 1922-09-16
ROSH HASHANAH.
Jewish New Year to Be Observed
Next Friday and Saturday.

! Jewish New Year to Be Observed
j Next Friday and Saturday.
I Divine services will be held at the
local temple Friday, September 22,
at Z O'Clock p. M, and Saturday, the
23rd., at 10 a. m. These services are
commemorative and in celebration Of
the joyous festival, Rosh Hashanah.
The Friday evening service will
usher in the new year. A special
choir has been secured for the occa-
sion. The services will be conducted
by Raphael Singer, assisted by Walter
Lemann.
The following interesting interpre-
tation and meaning of Rosh Hash
anah has been furnished The Chief
by Raphael Singer:
"Rosh Hashanah, popularity cali
ed New Year, will be celebrated in all
synagogues the world over beginning
at sunset on Friday evening, Septem-
Der %, and continuing till sundown on
Saturday evening, the 23rd. Among
the more orthodox Jews a second day,
Sunday, the oath, is observed as
scrupulously as the first day.
"The Jewish New Year initiates
| the ceremonial calendar of the Syna-
gogue and is interpreted in a purely
spiritual sense. This holiday is re-
garded by the Jews as one of the two
most significant holy days in their
religion, ranking with the Day of
|Atonement, which falls due ten days
later, in sublimity of concept and sig
nifcance of intent.
"Unlike the secular New Year,
which is designated to mark time,
Rosh Hashanah is an occasion for
each member of the fellowship of
Israel to put himself in harmony
with God and fill his soul with new
and better resolve for guidance in
the future.
"In this conception, the New Year
becomes a Day of Judgment also.
In fact this is one Of several desig
nations attributed to it. For, Juda-
ism does not place the Day of Judg
ment after death, but in the midst
of life and at the beginning of the
religious year in order that each one
may by self-examination and a new
orientation obtain better conception
incumbent upon him as American and
Jew.
"The Biblical basis of the New
Year is found in Leviticus 1924,
where it is said: Tn the seventh
month, in the first day Of the month
shall be a solemn rest unto you, a
memorial proclaimed with the blast
Of horns, holy convocation."
"New Year appears in the Mosaic
Code in the guise of a memorial
Day of the Blowing of the Trumpet
Later the rabbis of the Talmudic era
adopted the first day of the year as
day Of divine judgment when God
allots to each man his destiny for
the year according to his record of
good or evil a5 inscribed in the book
Of life, pp.aasc symbol of his own
individual sdds. Realizing that man !
destiny is bound up in his record, the
Shofar blasts were symbolized as
clarion calls to repentance, that old
and young might improve their ways
during the new year. Three blasts
of the Shofar which are set by tradi-
ton in the liturgy of the New Year
oyHIDollAc LIiIte SIedt lucas OIL Tic
Jewish religion, namely, the recogni-
ton Of God as King of the World
as Judge who remembers the actions
and the thoughts of men as well as
nations and rewards and Furnishes
each; and then finally as Revealer of
History who in the end of time will
have gathered all men unto Him in
righteousness as the Children of
Israel were summoned to Him amid
the trumphetblasts of Sinai when a
covenant Of love mad law was drawn
up between God and Israel
"According to rabbinic legend New
Year marks the anniversary of the
creation of the world and consequent
ly this is supposed to be the 5683rd
year since the world was created.
Of greater Importance is the intent
of the legend which was to stress the
significance Of the day as marking the
anniversary Of all humanity.
"Aside from attending solemn ser
vices in the synagogue, the American
Jewish people utilize the occasion to
exchange greetings among friends and
relatives, and by strengthening the
bonds of fellowship, unite with them
to serve one another and their fell
low citizens in love and JUSTICE"