Rosh Hashanah

My dear Friends

Tonight is the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. I will be celebrating with apples and honey, the traditional way of wishing people a happy and sweet New Year. In my childhood there was great excitement and anticipation leading up to this Festival, with new clothes and visits to the Synagogue.

On this Festival people ask to be inscribed in the Book of Life and begin the prayers asking for their sins to be forgiven, individually and communally. Thus the Synagogue liturgy is very solemn, with haunting and beautiful music, usually in the minor key. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah people go down to the river and symbolically throw their sins into the river.

Rosh Hashanah literally means the head of the year and I have a rather poignant story about this. I was asked to visit a lady who was totally paralysed and on the second occasion I sang to her at her bedside. She particularly enjoyed the Jewish music.I explained to her that I would not see her over the weekend as it was the Jewish New Year. 'When did you say the head of the year was, Gila' she asked. I had not mentioned the word head so it must have come straight up from her subconscious.

She died before I could see her again and I sang Jerusalem of Gold in Hebrew at her funeral.

More later
A very peaceful, happy and sweet New Year to you all
Sister Gila