Rosh Hashanah 5786

Dip Your Apple In The Honey: It's Rosh Hashanah! And, as we begin a New Jewish Year, please remember - as Rabbi Adam Rosenbaum of Denver, CO; of Livingston, NJ; and now, once again, of Charleston, SC has taught us -

There is hope for the world.
There is hope for your life.
The way it is now is not the way it must be. 

Abq Jew warmly invites you to check out
this now-classic Rosh Hashanah hit from 5772:

Dip Your Apple!

by The Fountainheads of Ein Prat

No apples, pomegranates, babies, or smartphones

were harmed in the filming of this video.

Please don't feed babies honey.

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Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Abq Jew knows (and knows you know), are special times for our Jewish hearts, minds, and souls.

The Ein Prat Fountainheads have - as always! - touched our hearts. Now, here is something that will touch our minds and souls.

From Rabbi Robyn Frisch, in 18 Doors:

6 Ways To Celebrate Rosh Hashanah 

Without Attending Synagogue

1. Have a Rosh Hashanah Seder

Many Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews have a seder on the first night of Rosh Hashanah. This seder, which has its origins in the Talmud, is called a Seder Yehi Ratzon (“seder of God’s will”).

2. Have a Special Meal

There are lots of foods traditionally associated with the holiday that you can include with your meal, such as apples dipped in honey (for a sweet new year); a round challah (which reminds us of the circle of life, as well as the cyclical nature of the passage of a year); and pomegranates (it’s been said that there are 613 seeds in a pomegranate, corresponding to the 613 commandments in the Torah).

3. Do Tashlich

On the first day of Rosh Hashanah to go to a running body of water (preferably one with fish) and symbolically cast away your sins.

4. Engage in Cheshbon HaNefesh (“Accounting of the Soul”)

Rosh Hashanah is a great time to take stock and to think about—and maybe discuss with others—aspects of yourself that you would like to improve upon in the year ahead, as well as those things you’re proud of from the past year.

5. Do Teshuvah (“Return,” “Repentance”)

On or before Rosh Hashanah, you can ask people for forgiveness for things you have done to hurt them in the past year, and you can resolve not to commit the same wrongdoings in the future.

6. Spend Time in Nature

Rosh Hashanah is, after all, the Birthday of the World, so why not spend part of the day enjoying the natural beauty of the world?

L'Shana Tova Tikatevu –
May you be inscribed for a good year!

Fall 2025 @ OASIS Abq

 Great Courses of Jewish Interest

Abq Jew is pleased to inform you that
OASIS Albuquerque has just announced
their Fall 2025 line-up of classes!
Registration opens on
Wednesday September 3
but you can Wish List your selections now.

OASIS Albuquerque Executive Director Scott Sharp and his staff continue to bring you new and interesting class offerings, and continue to make sure there are courses of Jewish interest.

This session's courses and instructors include,

but are by no means limited to:

Going to Baht
for the Jewish Community in Bangkok

Wednesday September 17 @ 12:30 - #204Zoom

Instructor: Jack Shlachter

What It Is: The progressive (non-Orthodox) Jewish community in Bangkok is mainly comprised largely of expats with some additional congregants. During the year, the worship services are lay led, but a Rabbi is brought in to lead high holiday services each fall. In 2024, Jack Shlachter served as prayer leader for the congregation. He shares his experiences both with the community and as a tourist in Bangkok through a colorful and informative slide show.

The Biblical Soil of Social Justice

Monday October 20 @ 10:00 - #206

Instructor: Paul Citrin

What It Is: Social justice has its roots in numerous texts in Hebrew Scriptures from which both Judaism and Christianity draw their commitment. We examine and discuss some of those key passages in the hope of renewing the status and position of social justice and action in our days.

A New England Milestone

Celebrated Everywhere: Abq Jew here reminds his loyal readers (who, of course, do not need to be reminded) that it was just about eleven (11) years ago that Abq Jew turned 64 (see For Vera, Chuck & Dave). 

Remembering that day and those years (but now only vaguely), Abq Jew might have planned to present an updated repeat of his now-classic August 6, 2015 blog post Those Were The Days.

Instead, as Abq Jew reflects on what he has (and has not yet) accomplished
during his 75 trips around the sun, he keeps in mind what his father, 
Richard W Yellin, of blessed memory, would have said
today on his 101st birthday: 

"When Mozart was your age,
he had been dead for 40 years." 

Yes, time passes. Vera celebrated her Bat Mitzvah last Shabbat - and all four grandparents were privileged (Ken O'Hara) to participate. Along with plenty of other family and loads of friends.

As for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -
he lived but 35 years, 10 months, and 9 days.
He was privileged to see 13,097 sunsets,
 but not one of them in Rhode Island.