It is officially New Year's day on the Jewish calendar. Thus it's time to say "Shana Tova Umetuka" or wishes for a good and sweet year. If you're still not sure what I'm talking about, check out your calendar and you will see that Rosh Hashanah officially begins at sundown on September 28. This holiday commemorates the creation of man and his relation to God. It's described in Leviticus as the Feast of Trumpets; a day of rest and new beginnings.
If I were Jewish, tonight I would probably either be at the Synagogue celebrating this holiday or I would be having family dinner with my parents in honor of the occasion. As a Christian who completely respects the Jewish traditions, I'm not doing either of these tonight. Instead, I intend to have my own New Year's celebration with my boys tomorrow.
I found the kid's guide to celebrating Rosh Hashanah on the internet along with some fun recipes for the holiday. Tomorrow, my boys and I will be heading to the grocery store to buy the ingredients for our very own candy apples. We found a yummy sounding recipe at http://www.chabad.org/kids/article_cdo/aid/354763/jewish/Candy-Apple.htm. If I get really brave we might even try a recipe for honey cake.
For those of us who did not grow up in Jewish homes, we often forget about the relevance of the Jewish holidays to our lives. Many of the holidays and traditions come directly out of the Old Testament. And today, they carry the much of the same meaning as they did back then.
So on this glorious New Year's Day, remember to thank God for His creation. And thank Him for the new beginnings that He offers us.
And if you feel left out because you missed out on the New Year's Day celebration, don't worry. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the High Holidays. You'll have plenty more opportunities to celebrate in October!
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