Have a Wonderful Healthy New Year שנה טובה

 

Here's this year's FRUIT HEAD, my special Rosh Hashanah custom, since my days as a vegetarian. 

Shanah Tovah 5784

שנה טובה תשפ"ד

The New Jewish Year 5781 Has Begun, So Far Amazing

Happy 5781
Here's my Be a HEAD not a Tail

On one hand I must admit that Rosh Hashana was awfully depressing. I miss having guests and being hosted. I remember the days when our dining room extended into the living room with multiple tables, all the family plus guests. And then we'd be hosted by neighbors for other holiday meals.

This year my husband and I ate by ourselves, alone, just the two of us. Our children had their own holiday meals. We'll be eating leftovers for the next few days, and I'll try not to think of way back when...

It has been months and months since I've entered the local shul, which is literally in our backyard. I stopped staying for the entire prayer service about a year or more ago when I found the the cold drafts too uncomfortable. I even bought a hooded coat that makes me look like Darth Vardar in powder blue. I decided to give up on the "window wars," preferring not to fight with anyone. 

We had to sign up for the limited seats for this Rosh Hashana, so I took the plunge. Then a neighbor, who knows me well, said:

"You'll be miserable and leave immediately. The new regulations require open windows."

So I decided to try something new. There's an outdoor minyan almost directly across from my house. I set up a chair just outside the door, and that became my private "Ezrat Nashim," Women's Section. Since it's well in my property, I didn't even need to wear a mask. I could hear most everything, thank Gd.

Even better, I heard lots of shofar blowing. The early minyan a bit further way must have blown shofar outside, since I heard theirs. And of course I heard the park one. And I heard from our synagogue, the Yemenite minyan and when someone blew for neighbors across the street.

The neighborhood was live with the sounds of shofar blowing!

The multitude of prayer groups all over was so much better and more spiritual than sitting in a packed synagogue.

Actually, once the government allowed limited numbers to pray in the synagogue, my husband returned and sits in his regular spot. The synagogue is much emptier than it used to be. Many neighbors now pray in parks and backyards, so as long as the ones who prefer the shul building spread out, it's considered "safe."

During our family Pre-Rosh Hashanah zoom, I had been asked to give a blessing to all the clan. I found myself saying:

"Be thankful for what you have."

This may not have been what anyone expected; the usual blessing is for health. But I wonder if this whole corona COVID life change/challenge/pandemic has been to shake us up. Maybe Gd wants us to look and what we have and be grateful/thankful. Suddenly we're so limited/restricted, and we must learn to accept and welcome it. 

There's an expression:

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Right now, unless you're a scientist working on a cure or vaccine for corona COVID, you're best off trying to make lemonade. I've also been crocheting. 

What sort of lemonade have you been making?

Rosh Hashanah Fruit Head 5780

This 5780 year's "may you be a head, not a tail" looks a bit like a 1960's hippy. In 5779 I celebrated my 70th birthday, and I guess I'm still partying. The "crown" is the security bracelet from the very first United States 4th of July Celebration in Jerusalem.

May 5780 be filled with joy, health and wonderful surprises for all.

Don't let Holiday preparations stress you out. Take the easy path, so you can enjoy yourself. Love to all, and Gd willing see you next year...

5779 Stepping Onto The Plate, May You Never Be Alone...

Cross-posted on Shiloh Musings.

For those of you waiting for my annual Fruit Head to greet the New Jewish Year, here he/she is! A few decades ago, during my quarter century, yes, 25 years, as a vegetarian, I adapted our Rosh Hashana table to the reality that nobody in the family wanted to eat a fish head, or even look at one. So, since then I've decorated a fruit, usually an apple, in honor of the New Jewish Year.

I bless you with a year of comfortable companionship. May you never be alone.

The 5779 Fruit Head is joined by a רימון rimon, pomegranate, one of the fruits which has much spiritual significance in Judaism, read 9 Jewish Things About Pomegranates.

One of the principles of Judaism is that Gd is all over, not just in the synagogue, not just when you're praying or remembering Him. Judaism is a "full-time" religion, and we don't need an intermediary to pray to Gd. Gd also sees us all the time, what we do and what we think. We can't hide from Gd.

At the same time, Judaism is divided between the קודש וחול Kodesh v'Chol, the Holy/Gd and Ordinary People/things/everyday. That's why in Judaism it's not considered enough to just pray to Gd, even saying all the words ourselves, it's preferable to pray with a proper minyan, ten men prayer group, with a leader.

Judaism isn't a solitary religion; it's a community. We need other people, other Jews. We need family, even when the family isn't all biologically and legally related. We need the support of other people, and we must help and support in turn. Yes, there is a time when we give and when we receive. That concept is repeated in the book of קהלת Kohelet, Ecclesiastes.

Last week when I led our pre-High Holiday book club discussion on  קהלת Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, I asked if anyone knew why the writer, the son of King David, generally believed to be King Solomon, gave himself the name קהלת Kohelet. We couldn't think of a reason.

Maybe we're supposed to see ourselves as part of a long, complex Jewish History of Jewish People. There are repetitive cycles and lessons to be learned, and that is what King Solomon who is described in the Tanach/Bible as very wise is trying to tell us in קהלת Kohelet, Ecclesiastes. We are a very unique community קהל Kahal from the same linguistic root as קהלת Kohelet.

To survive we need both ordinary people and Gd. Even when things look bad, they are just part of the normal cycle, and we mustn't allow ourselves to wallow in depression. Reach out to others, humans and Gd. Don't be alone.

שנה טובה ומתוקה

גמר חתימה טובה

Welcoming 5778, Heading to a Healthy Year, Gd Willing

Yes, this is the "face of 5778," refreshing and cheerful, Gd willing.

Ever since my vegetarian years, twenty-five 25 would you believe, I've been making a "fruit head" rather than displaying a whole fish, head and all, on the Rosh Hashanah table. Each head looks a bit different, just like each year differs from the preceding.

May the Jewish Year 5778 be one of blessings, health and joy for all of us.

May we learn to see the good in all that happens and cheer each other up, when needed.

And I ask your forgiveness if I've hurt or harmed you in any way.

שנה טובה, בריאה ומתוקה

Shanah Tovah, Bri'ah Umetukah,

May You Have a Good, Healthy and Sweet Year

And Here's for 5777, Shanah Tovah שנה טובה!!!!

My traditional fruit head for a very healthy and enjoyable new Jewish Year!!

For a Very Healthy and Happy 5776!

The new Jewish Year is about to debut in a few hours. This year's model "head" has been posing very cooperatively for me, and I'd like to post some of the photos.

Yes, I don't use animal heads, neither fish, fowl or mammal. For twenty-five 25 years I was a vegetarian and during that time I came up with the idea of a Fruit Head. It's healthy, edible and creative which should be what a good head/year will bring us.

Gd willing we should be a head and not a tail!

You can vote for which version you like best. Have a Wonderful Blessed Year everyone!!!

Chag Sameach

Gmar Chatima Tovah

Greetings for the New Jewish Year, 5776!

Gd willing this new upcoming year will be a wonderful one for all of you and the Jewish People and the State of Israel and thereby the entire world.

May the people in power be gifted with true wisdom, both the politicians and the media...

May we all learn how to put things in the right proportions and not get all hassled by irrelevant stuff.

May procrastination and overeating be a thing of the past...

I hope you like my "Fruit Heads," I put one together every year instead of serving a fish head or sheep head or whatever most other people do for Rosh Shanna. These fruit heads are from previous years; it's too early to do one for this year. I wait until the last minute, so it will stay fresh and perky throughout the two day Holiday. 

There's the growing tradition to make up lots of punned blessings to expand on the classics:

• יהי רצון Be a head not a tail. (Said over the "head" on the table.)
• יהי רצון Have a sweet year, (Said over the apple dipped in honey.) 

What are your favorites or new ones? I invented a new one for this year:

• יהי רצון that we learn to grin and "beer" it. 

Yes, I bought some beer for that one!

Serving Beer at the Amber Beer Tasting at Doug's. Photo by Mike Horton

Shanna Tovah uMetukah!

Have a Good and Sweet Year!!

Have a Wonderful, Healthy, Enjoyable, Successful and Joyful Year 5774.

Only in Israel-

• I love the fact that Israeli public transportation, the Egged Bus Line, programs בברכת שנה טובה B'birchat Shanah Tovah, With Blessing for a Good Year on its buses, inside and out.

• Schools started the year extra early in order to give the kids lessons about the Chaggim Holidays before Rosh Hashannah.

 

I haven't yet made this year's "fruit head," but this should give you an idea of how cute they can be.  Not only do they symbolize "be a head not a tail," but they are intrinsically a blessing for good health and a strong sense of humor to all.

We must learn to make the best of what we have.  Of course we pray for prosperity, but as it is written in Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers:

Ben Zoma says:
Who is rich?
The one who is appreciates what he has…
(Talmud—Avot 4:1)

credit

Yes, we must always try to do better, but we shouldn't eat ourselves up  in frustration and anger if we don't achieve every dream. G-d gave us Free Will, but He retained Veto Power and can override all controls.

Blessings to All

Shannah  Tovah u'Mevorachat

Last Full Day of 5773, Blessings to All

About a month ago I went to the bank to make sure we had enough money available to pay for some wedding expenses.  For decades I had been pretty phobic about dealing with the bank and had let my husband handle it all, but a couple of years ago we had a change in "jobs,' and the bank became mine.  I had actually found the clerks to be very nice and helpful, pretty much like I try to be at work when helping customers.  I walked out of the bank with tears in my eyes. Not of fear nor anger, but because I was overwhelmed by the sincere blessings the middle-aged clerk and I exchanged for more wedding for our children and other singles in need of a suitable spouse etc.  It was so "only in Israel."

This time I had a long discussion with a different clerk, a bit younger, more my daughters' age.  At first she got me nervous, because she seemed annoyed at all my questions, but once she understood how my mind was working, she began to enjoy helping me through the muddle.  And when I finally got up to leave, she stood, shook my hand, told me that she enjoyed talking with me and we wished each other שנה טובה ומוצלחת Shannah Tovah u'Mutzlachat, A Good and Successful Year.  I told her that I really enjoy visiting that bank, because I leave with blessings and tears in my eyes.

This has been quite a year, especially the past few months.  In less than two months, my mother passed away and my youngest child got married.  Cousins of mine lost both parents in just over half a year, plus a first grandchild was born to one of them, just weeks after my uncle, who would have reached the status of great-grandfather passed away.  There have been some major changes in the clan as you can see.

Now we're getting to the deadline to say farewell to the Jewish Year of 5773 and to welcome 5774.  May the good overwhelm the bad.

Dry Bones

And a healthy year to one and all...

That's why I make a Holiday "fruit head."