Gmar Chatima Tova, Next Week is...

I feel so relieved that this Rosh Hashannah is over. Getting ready for it was pretty stressful for me, but once it began, it was truly wonderful. I enjoyed the dovening in our shul, and also the main Shiloh Synagogue modeled after the Biblical Tabernacle. And I enjoyed the neighbors we ate with, in their homes and ours. It really was a pleasure spiritually and socially and everything.

my homemade challah
bli neder, I'll post about the special foods I made

Of course, I ate too much. But tomorrow is Tzom Gedalya, which is a fast day, dawn to darkness. And next week is already Yom Kippur. That's a bit hard to get used to. We had Rosh Hashannah right after Shabbat, less than 24 hours after Shabbat ended we were already lighting the Holy Day candles. And by the time we break the Tzom Gedaliah fast, we have to start preparing for Shabbat. So, yes, the fall Jewish Holiday Marathon has begun!

Yes, I know that it's more complicated out of Israel. In Israel, the Jewish Holidays are National Holidays, so we aren't missing work and school. Jews out of Israel are supposed to observe an extra day of "yomtov," which means that they have even more Jewish Holidays than we do. And they are in countries that do not celebrate Jewish Holidays. They frequently find that pretty much all or most of their paid vacation days go to celebrate Jewish Holidays.

In Israel Friday has become a day off or a half day for many. I work in a store and we close it early enough for everyone not only to get home, but to do a lot of the pre-Shabbat or pre-holiday preparations.  To me that's more important than a "sunday." I want my Shabbat to be a Shabbat and cannot imagine how to get everything done if you're rushing home barely in time to light candles.

Enjoy the Holy Days!! And have an easy fast, if you're fasting.