Rosh Hashana

Amy R. Spurgeon NEWPORT MESA -- Hundreds of Jewish families gathered at sundown Friday to observe the beginning of Rosh Hashana -- the Jewish holiday that marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year. The 10 days that follow are called the Days of Awe and Jews around the world will spend time focusing on repentance, judgment and atonement. The High Holy Days are considered the second major cycle of festivals in the Jewish year and will end Sept. 20 with Yom Kippur.

The Bible teaches that when Joseph, the viceroy of Egypt, was faced with an abundance of grain, he knew from prophecy that the surplus would be followed by seven years of famine. When the famine struck, then, he staved off hunger by having his people farm all the cultivated land, with 80% of the crop going to them and the remaining 20% to the king. To Rabbi Marc Rubenstein of Temple Isaiah, that story has more than a little relevance in modern America, as the government intervenes to save the faltering economy.

When people ask Rabbi Mark Miller of Temple Bat Yahm if he’s ready for the High Holidays, he usually replies, “Are you ready?” The Jewish High Holy Days are a time of reflecting on the past year and atonement for one’s sins. It’s also a busy time of year for most rabbis, with numerous religious services to oversee. Miller said he tries to stay focused on the true meaning of the season. “For me, I’ve come to realize that time is fleeting,” Miller said.

Luis Pena For the past two years, the celebrations of the Jewish New Year have been unusually solemn. In 2001, Rosh Hashana, the two-day observance of the new year, came right after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It was an unusually difficult occasion in Newport-Mesa synagogues. Last year, thoughts stay turned to the tumultuous year after the attacks. Tonight, as the sun sets and the celebration begins, thoughts will be turned toward global problems, including the war in Iraq and the continuing violence in Israel, said Rabbi Marc Rubenstein of Temple Isaiah in Newport Beach.

When the sound of the shofar reverberates through the synagogue today, it's time to ring in the year 5766. Rosh Hashana, the holiday that signifies the start of the Jewish New Year, began Monday night and continues today with services and the traditional blowing of the ram's horn, called the shofar. The High Holy Days are the most important time on the Jewish calendar. They include Rosh Hashana and the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, which is Oct. 12. It's a time of quiet introspection, when Jews across the world contemplate the past year and atone for their sins.

Following afternoon prayers Tuesday, members of the congregation of Temple Isaiah in Newport Beach walked out to a grassy area next to the Back Bay and released multicolored balloons into the air in celebration of Tashlich, the first day of Rosh Hashana. The ceremony is the creation of Rabbi Marc Rubenstein, who came up with it as a substitute for the typical Tashlich ritual of throwing bread crumbs into an ocean or lake. For Jews, the ritual is a symbol for casting off one’s sins, much like confession in the Roman Catholic Church.

Young Chang Though Rosh Hashana celebrates God's creation of the world, though it's a time for people to greet each other with apples and honey in hopes of a good and sweet year, Rabbi Mark Miller admits it'll be a solemn celebration. "It's going to be especially difficult to talk about sweetness with the taste of ashes in our mouth," the Temple Bat Yahm rabbi said. "Yet the High Holy Days summon us to look toward the future with renewed confidence, trust, faith, hope, perseverance and determination."

SPECIAL EVENTS DAYS OF AWE SERVICE Temple Bat Yahm will present a service in preparation for the Days of Awe, marked by S'lichot, at 8 p.m. today at 1011 Camelback St., Newport Beach. (949) 644-1999. S'LICHOT EVENING Temple Isaiah of Newport Beach will hold its S'lichot evening and open house at 8 p.m. today at 2401 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach. (949) 548-6900. PRAYER MEETING The Second Church of Christ, Scientist will hold a noon prayer meeting for an hour for the "protection, growth and guidance" of children on Wednesday at 3100 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar. Free.

SPECIAL EVENTS BIBLE 101 The Rev. Jim Turrell will teach about the structure and composition of the Bible for four weeks at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at the Center for Spiritual Discovery, 2850 Mesa Verde Drive East, Costa Mesa. A "love offering" is suggested. (714) 754-7399. HIGH HOLY DAYS SERVICES Temple Bat Yahm will present Rosh Hashana services at 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. today . Yom Kippur services will be held at 8 p.m. Sept. 15 and several services beginning at 9 a.m. Sept.

Chabad Jewish Center will host free services next week for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. The services are geared toward the thousands of unaffiliated Jewish families in Orange County, said Rabbi Reuven Mintz. “Many families don’t attend services because the Synagogue environment is foreign to them,” Mintz said in a written statement. “There is a need to reach out and ensure that they too participate in services on these holiest of days of the Jewish year.

Following afternoon prayers Tuesday, members of the congregation of Temple Isaiah in Newport Beach walked out to a grassy area next to the Back Bay and released multicolored balloons into the air in celebration of Tashlich, the first day of Rosh Hashana. The ceremony is the creation of Rabbi Marc Rubenstein, who came up with it as a substitute for the typical Tashlich ritual of throwing bread crumbs into an ocean or lake. For Jews, the ritual is a symbol for casting off one’s sins, much like confession in the Roman Catholic Church.

One trip to San Clemente. Another trip to Corona del Mar. In my case, there were no girls’ matches to cover Tuesday. Tennis or volleyball. Sage Hill School’s big tennis match against rival St. Margaret’s, the top two ranked teams in the CIF Southern Section Division IV coaches’ poll, was rescheduled. So was Corona del Mar High’s volleyball match against Dana Hills. The reason? “Rosh Hashana,” said St. Margaret’s Coach Rick Trager after getting off the bus at Rancho San Clemente Tennis and Fitness Club.

The Bible teaches that when Joseph, the viceroy of Egypt, was faced with an abundance of grain, he knew from prophecy that the surplus would be followed by seven years of famine. When the famine struck, then, he staved off hunger by having his people farm all the cultivated land, with 80% of the crop going to them and the remaining 20% to the king. To Rabbi Marc Rubenstein of Temple Isaiah, that story has more than a little relevance in modern America, as the government intervenes to save the faltering economy.

Chabad Jewish Center will host free services next week for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. The services are geared toward the thousands of unaffiliated Jewish families in Orange County, said Rabbi Reuven Mintz. “Many families don’t attend services because the Synagogue environment is foreign to them,” Mintz said in a written statement. “There is a need to reach out and ensure that they too participate in services on these holiest of days of the Jewish year.

“Story Lady” Lisa Cohen likes to put a Jewish spin on some of her stories. Bunny Foo Foo, for instance, realizes he was wrong to bop the field mice on the head, so he kisses them on the cheek instead. Goldie Locks helps Baby Bear fix his broken chair, and now they have a play date every Tuesday. “That’s a Rosh Hashana story; they realize the error in their ways,” Cohen said. Cohen, whose day job involves entertaining children, is overseeing children’s services for the High Holy Days at the Hyatt Regency in Newport Beach for Chabad Jewish Center this year.

We are victims of an inborn erroneous notion translated into a cultural delusion: that we exist in order to be happy. At midnight, Dec. 31, we wish one another a “Happy” New Year. But at the New Year of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, Jewish people wish one another a “Good” New Year. Happiness is not always in our power to achieve, is often dependent on the decisions of others and is fleeting. Goodness lies within our control, arises from within and finds its permanence in God’s salvific plan.

When people ask Rabbi Mark Miller of Temple Bat Yahm if he’s ready for the High Holidays, he usually replies, “Are you ready?” The Jewish High Holy Days are a time of reflecting on the past year and atonement for one’s sins. It’s also a busy time of year for most rabbis, with numerous religious services to oversee. Miller said he tries to stay focused on the true meaning of the season. “For me, I’ve come to realize that time is fleeting,” Miller said.

As the congregation at Temple Isaiah in Newport Beach begins Rosh Hashanah tonight, they will not only be looking forward to the Jewish New Year, they'll also be proudly looking back at this past year. The temple, which bills itself as Orange County's friendliest synagogue, has pushed in recent months to build its membership through public events and a recently-launched website. Last year, Rabbi Marc Rubenstein said, around 100 people visited the temple for the New Year, but the crowd for the upcoming weekend could be the biggest ever.

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This is the time of year when Mandy Wynn tends to feel homesick. She's settled into her life in Brooklyn, N.Y., but something about the Jewish High Holy Days gets her thinking about family traditions. And hers has plenty of them. The Sonenshines, one of the first families to join Newport Beach's Temple Bat Yahm, typically arrive early to synagogue for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur to secure a seat near the front. Three generations chant together, led by grandpa Ygal Sonenshine.