Opinion: Mark your calendar for sacred times Advertisement Advertisement
September 28, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.
File photo/Chang W. Lee/The New York Times / James Tisch, a shofar blower from Central Synagogue in Manhattan, was recorded blowing a shofar at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan on Aug. 17, 2020. The shofar was used at Auschwitz.
Calendars marking sacred days, weeks, months and years have been part of cultures around the world for thousands of years. A universal calendar wasn’t agreed upon until the mid-1700s. The religious origins of many calendars may account for the hesitation to settle on just one version. Fortunately, those religious calendars continue to be maintained and honored. That’s why the Jewish community just celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year marking the creation of Adam and Eve and the current year, 5784. Rosh Hashanah (“head of the year” in Hebrew) begins the 10 Days of Awe, a time of contemplation, reflection and prayer which concludes with Yom Kippur, a somber “Day of Atonement.”
Look at Rosh Hashanah photos and you’ll often see apples and honey, symbols for a sweet new year, and a time-honored snack.
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