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SHANAH TOVAH FROM ELLIOTT MAGALNICK

Try not to think of this as RYE BREAD. A Happy and healthy New Year to you all.

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, starts soon. Unlike January 1st, which is filled with merrymaking and parties, Rosh Hashanah is a time for introspection, and purifying one’s soul. In conjunction with this is the custom of Tashlich, where people take crumbs and throw them into a river or other body of water to symbolize throwing away one’s sins and starting the new year fresh.

However, times have changed…

Taking a few crumbs to Tashlich from whatever old bread is in the house lacks subtlety, nuance and religious sensitivity. Instead, consider these options this year for Rosh Hashanah:

For ordinary sins, use White Bread
For exotic sins, French Bread
For particularly dark sins, Pumpernickel
For complex sins, Multi-grain
For twisted sins, Pretzels
For tasteless sins, Rice Cakes
For sins of indecision, Waffles
For sins committed in haste, Matzah
For sins of chutzpah, Bread that’s fresh
For substance abuse, Poppy Seed
For committing arson, Toast
For committing auto theft, Caraway
For being ill tempered, Sourdough
For silliness, Nut Bread
For jingoism,Yankee Doodles
For excessive use of irony, Rye Bread
For telling bad jokes, Corn Bread
For hardening our hearts, Jelly doughnuts
For war-mongering, Kaiser Rolls
For immodest dressing, Tarts
For causing injury or damage to others, Tortes
For promiscuity, Hot Buns
For being holier than thou, Bagels
For unfairly upbraiding another, Challah
For trashing the environment, Dumplings
For sins of laziness, Any Very Long Loaf
For lying, Baked Goods with Nutrasweet and Olestra
For the sins of the righteous, Angel Food Cake
For selling your soul, Devils Food Cake
For lust in your heart, Wonder Bread
For inhaling, Stoned Wheat
Remember, you don’t have to show your crumbs to anyone.

Torah Readers for High Holy Days?

How is it already the month of Elul?  The year is really flying by, and before you know it Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur will be upon us!

I had the opportunity for a lovely conversation with our service leader and Cantorial Soloist for our High Holy Day services this year, Ruz Gulko.  Ruz comes to us on Rabbi Fine’s recommendation, and has been leading services in the Seattle area for the past 25 years.  

Ruz is putting her plans together for our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, and would like to know if anyone would like the honor of reading from the Torah on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur mornings.  She plans on using the High Holy Day trope for the services, and will be glad to send a written copy of the text and an mp3 of the trope to any volunteers.  If you are interested, please send her an email at ruzgulko@comcast.net or place a comment on this post.

If there is anything specific you would like to see done at these services, please send me and Ruz a note, or just comment below.

L’Shana Tova,

Aaron

SHANA TOVA!

Dip your apple in the honey, and carry the sweetnesss with you all through the year. May this new year be a good year for all of you! from Bruce and Joy

L’Shana Tova Tiketavu!

May Your New Year be as Sweet as Apples and Honey!

Aiming Higher for Rosh Hashanah

Most of us just dip our apples in honey for the Jewish New Year. At the Techion in Israel, they are aiming higher! Watch them shoot an apple with a crossbow through a balloon filled with honey!

Why? Apparently because they can.