On Rosh Hashanah, when the Shofar is sounded, congregants stand in silence. Perhaps the same scene unfolds before the Heavenly Throne. Thundering silence echoes throughout Heaven, as the Angels understand that G-d is about to declare the fate of his children for the coming year. Such is the magnitude of the High Holy Days. We pray, we reflect, we (hopefully) repent. The three ultimate tenets of the holiday are Repentance, Prayer and Charity–it is written that when one sincerely undertakes this “mission,” he will be granted a year buoyed by Hashem’s light.
To further enhance the year, we eat sweet things; apples dipped in honey, for example. On the first day of Rosh Hashanah (or the second, if, like this year, day one is on Shabbos) we find a body of water (with fish), to perform the ritual of Tashlich–to symbolically cast away our sins. Yes, all these customs are extremely important. But perhaps the most vital aspect of the holiday is to reach what many sages believe to be the single highest rung of our religion–to love your fellow Jew!
We pray (no pun intended) that each and every one of us can find the strength to make that loftiest of goals a reality. Toward that end, please join us to daven together and, yes, to break challah together. Our synagogue offers FREE services and FREE community Yom Tov dinners and lunches for all (though donations are highly appreciated and much needed)! L’Shanah Tovah! May you and yours be inscribed for a Blessed New Year!
Cruger Avenue Synagogue Rosh Hashanah Schedule:
Friday, September 15, Evening Service @ 7 pm; Dinner to follow
Saturday, September 16, Morning Service @ 10 am; Lunch to follow
Evening Service @ 7 pm; Dinner to follow
Sunday, September 17, Morning Service @ 10 am; Lunch to follow
Evening Service @ 6:45 pm; Holiday ends at 7:43 pm
Cruger Avenue Synagogue 