High Holy Days – Rabbi Nat Benjamin

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Hannukkah 5782 and Thanksgiving 2021 Together – Never Before Or Again

This year Hanukkah coincides with Thanksgiving, on 11/28/2021. The Jewish calendar repeats on a 19 year cycle, and Thanksgiving repeats on a 7 year cycle. You would therefore expect them to coincide roughly every 19×7 = 133 years. Looking back, this is approximately correct – the last time it would have happened is 1861. However, Thanksgiving was only formally established by President Lincoln in 1863. So, it has never happened before.

Because the Jewish calendar is very slowly getting out of sync with the solar calendar, at a rate of 4 days per 1000years . This means that while presently Hanukkah can be as early as 11/28, over the years the calendar will drift forward, such that the earliest Hanukkah can be is 11/29.

Of course, if the Jewish calendar is never modified in any way, then it will slowly move forward through the Gregorian calendar, until it loops all the way back to where it is now. So, Hanukkah could again fall on Thursday, 11/28…in the year 79,811 * .

Calendars , not with standing we need an early Hanukkah this year. It is a holiday that brings hope and good cheer to all of us regardless of our religious backgrounds.

So pass the cranberry sauce AND the latkes, please.

NOTE: The 79811 date is NOT accurate, but was meant to be tongue in cheek. Jewish law requires Passover to be in the Spring. Therefore, the Jewish calendar will have to be adjusted long before it loops all the way around.

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

Bergen County Rabbi, High Holy Days, Jewish Education, Jewish Survival, Judaism, Rosh Hashanah, Tenafly, Yom Kippur

High Holy Days at Chavurah Beth Shalom

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — days of sweetness and atonement – are the culmination of a month-long process of coming back to God. During the High Holidays, we embrace the study and beauty of the Torah and rejoice with prayer and song.

2019 / 5780 HIGH HOLY DAYS INFORMATION

We are pleased to announce that our 2019 High Holy Days Services will be held at the Clinton Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 145 Dean Drive, Tenafly, NJ. 07670 on the following dates and times:

Sunday, September 29, 2019:  Clinton Inn & Conference Center
Erev Rosh Hashanah, 7:30 pm
Monday, September 30, 2019:  Clinton Inn & Conference Center
Rosh Hashanah, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Children’s Services, 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm
Tuesday, October 1, 2019: Alpine, NJ. Community House
Rosh Hashanah 2nd Day, 10:30 am
Tuesday, October 8, 2019: Clinton Inn & Conference Center
Kol Nidre – Erev Yom Kippur, 7:30 pm
Wednesday, October 9, 2019:  Clinton Inn & Conference Center
Yom Kippur Morning Service, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Children’s Service: 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm
Afternoon & Yizkor Service : 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

We request that you send in your ticket requests early. Your membership dues include tickets for you and your children through college age.

For more information, contact the Chavurah at 201.567.7806 or email ChavurahBethShalom@gmail.com or see our home page under what’s new for all of our High Holy Day information.

Rosh HaShanah History
The origin of Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, is Biblical (Lev. 23:23-25): “a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts (of the Shofar, the ram’s horn).” The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Teruah.
(the day of the sounding of the Shofar) and Yom Zikaron Teruah (the day of remembering the sounding of the Shofar).

In Talmudic times, Rosh HaShanah became a celebration of the anniversary of the world’s creation and a day of self-examination, repentance and judgment. While the day was called Yom HaZikaron (Day of Remembrance) and Yom HaDin (Judgment Day), the name Rosh HaShanah (Head of the Year) was first used in the Mishnah has become the most prevalent.

Rosh HaShanah is both a solemn and happy day.
It is a time for introspection, asking for forgiveness, giving forgiveness, resolving to do better, remembering God is our King and Judge, and praying for a healthy and happy year to come. We are solemn in our repentance, but happy in our confidence that God is merciful and good.

Yom Kippur History
Repentance (Teshuva) is the theme of Yom Kippur.
While our sins alienate us from God, our repentance reconciles us with God.
On Yom Kippur, we ask for God to forgive us for our sins.

The first Yom Kippur occurred when Moses descended Mount Sinai with the second set of Tablets, a symbol of the renegotiated covenant between God and the Jewish People.
The Israelites alienated God by worshiping the golden calf. Moses ascended Mount Sinai to ask God for forgiveness. The Israelites repented by fasting during the day while Moses was on the mountain. On the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (Yom Kippur), Moses descended Mount Sinai with the second Tablets.

God decreed the tenth day of the month of Tishrei as a day of atonement:

“Let it be a statute for you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, you shall starve your vital energies and do no manner of work…. For on this day it shall bring atonement upon you, to purify you, before God shall you become pure of all your aberrations.” (Vayikra/Leviticus 16: 29-30)
Just as the Israelites alienated God with their unfaithful behavior, some of our behavior during the year has also alienated us from God.
Just as the Israelites repented for their sins, we also repent for our sins.
Praying and fasting enables us to envision the divine image that lives in each of us.
Just as God forgave the Israelites on the tenth of Tishrei, it is our hope that God will forgive us on Yom Kippur.

High Holy Days, Jewish Survival, Judaic Studies, New Jersey Rabbi, New York Rabbi

Shabbat Morning at Chavurah Beth Shalom

Please join us for Shabbat Morning In Alpine, tomorrow, Saturday, June 15, 2019 (12 Sivan 5779) 10:30 AM

Morning Shabbat Service followed by our Chavurah Beth Shalom Weekly Torah Discussion Group.

This Shabbat we will discuss the Threefold Benediction from Chapter 6 verses 24-27 which is recited at every prayer service on Shabbat, Festivals and the High Holy Days.

In our tradition we include this blessing at life cycle events and simchas as well. Although the Birkat Shalom consists of only 15 words, it is pronounced and chanted in many different ways at different services at various times of the day according to the Jewish communities.reciting it.

“The Eternal One spoke to Moses: Speak to Aaron and his sons: Thus shall you bless the people of Israel. Say to them:

The Eternal bless you and protect you!

The Eternal deal kindly and graciously with you!

The Eternal bestow [divine] favor upon you and grant you peace! (6:22-27).

A light brunch, great bagels, hot coffee and tea will be served to all members, their guests and friends.

Bergen County, High Holy Days, Jewish Education, Jewish Survival, Judaic Studies, Tradition, Yom Kippur

When Sandy Koufax Did Not Pitch on Yom Kippur

Rabbi Nat Benjamin

A story that may be even more important today…. and a story we hope you share with current and future generations.

The legendary pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sandy Koufax, informed his team that he would not be able to pitch on Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it was Yom Kippur, Wednesday, October 6, 1965.

This decision made by Sandy gave all young Jewish children and their families such a sense of pride that the best pitcher in baseball was not available due to his observance of the most solemn of days in the Jewish calendar. As great as he was already, he became the biggest hero for the American Jewish community who felt such a wonderful sense of Judaic pride.

As legend has it, Koufax pitched in 3 of the next 6 games ( winning two of the games by shut out) and won game 7 on only 2 days of rest!

We hope you can read the full story courtesy of ESPN’s Jim Caple here.

High Holy Days, Jewish Education, Judaic Studies, Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur at Chavurah Beth Shalom

Wishing all a peaceful and easy fast.

We hope to see our Chavurah Beth Shalom members this evening as well as tomorrow:

TUESDAY , SEPTEMBER 18: Tickets are required.

7:30 pm : Kol Nidre / Eve of Yom Kippur.

The Kol Nidre will be played by cellist Madeleine Golz and harpist Karen Stern Norrell and prayers by Rabbi Benjamin. Sermon by Rabbi Bemporad.

WEDNESDAY , SEPTEMBER 19: Tickets are required.

10:00 am: Yom Kippur Morning Service. Led by Rabbi Benjamin and Rabbi Bemporad.

2:00 pm: Yom Kippur Family Service. Led by Rabbi Nat Benjamin and Rabbi Steve Meltz , our Children’s Services will teach our youngest members about Yom Kippur and will recite a few prayers as well as give each child the opportunity to blow the Shofar and learn of its meaning.

A special short film, The Brave Little Boat, will be shown to our children and their families. This is an exclusive showing for our Chavurah Beth Shalom families and is written and produced by Stephen Ollendorff / The Ollendorff Center For Human and Religious Understanding and a founding member of our Chavurah.

3:00 pm: Yom Kippur Afternoon Service and Yizkor led by Rabbi Benjamin and sermon by Rabbi Bemporad.