Michelle Marr
Sunset on Friday will mark the start of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish
new year, and signal the beginning of the High Holy Days, a 10-day
period of reflection and renewal that concludes with Yom Kippur, the
Day of Atonement.
"The High Holy Days are about coming to the synagogue to find
improvement for our lives, but this year is a little different," said
Rabbi Marc Steven Rubenstein of Temple Isaiah in Newport Beach. "This
year, there is a lot of anger toward God, and rabbis feel like they
have to give answers to what is going on."
But, Rubenstein said, the tragedies of Sept. 11 and the ongoing
tragedies in Israel are not God's fault.
"Instead of coming to God and saying, 'Look, we need to improve
ourselves,' we blame God for man's actions. That's not the way it
should be," he said.
It is a Rosh Hashanah tradition to eat apples dipped in honey to
symbolize hope for a sweet new year. A blessing is said: "Blessed are
you, God, ruler of the universe, creator of the fruit of the tree."
The blessing is followed by this prayer: "May it be your will, our
God and God of our ancestors, that the new year be good and sweet for
us."
If this new year is sweet, it is bittersweet.
Rabbi Rayna Gevurtz at Temple Bat Yahm in Newport Beach has found
herself reflecting on the tragedies of Sept. 11 and on the ongoing
tragedies in Israel. Historically, she said, there have been many
times when Jews have had to usher in a new year after an old year
when bad things have happened.
"By observing our rituals and praying to our God of goodness, by
continuing on the path of goodness, we show that the forces of evil
-- these people who commit such evil acts -- have not succeeded," she
said. "The holidays are a time to look to the past -- they are like
stop signs and signposts that help us to learn from the past and to
move forward in a good direction."
The Orange County Israel Solidarity Task Force and the Jewish
Community Relations Council have worked to create a tangible bond
with Jews in Israel during the holidays this year. With a project
called "Honey for the Holidays," they hope to send this message: We
are with you in sweetness and sorrow.
Lisa Grajewski, chairwoman for the project, explained: "We want to
say we aren't going to forget you. Americans can have a very
short-term memory, but it's so important we don't forget."
The project will put holiday honey on thousands of tables in the
economically depressed twin-city community of Kiryat Malachi and Hof
