This year Oct. 2-4, Jewish people around the world will observe Rosh Hashanah. Also known as the Jewish New Year, it is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days 麻豆精品 S� a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that takes place at the start of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, which falls during September or October. In all synagogues, a shofar 麻豆精品 S� a ram 麻豆精品 S檚 horn trumpet 麻豆精品 S� is played to remind listeners to reflect on their behavior. After services, Jewish people often return home for a festive meal of foods symbolizing the new year, such as apples dipped in honey and challah bread that is round rather than braided.
麻豆精品 S淭he perfection of a circle symbolizes entering the new year with a clean slate, 麻豆精品 S� says Rabbi Sanford Olshansky, UCF adjunct professor of Judaic studies. He describes the Jewish High Holy Days as a time of 麻豆精品 S渟piritual accounting. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a time of self-examination, self-evaluation, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淗ow do we feel about where we 麻豆精品 S檙e at in our lives? How do we feel about where we stand in terms of the moral and ethical principles by which we ought to be living? 麻豆精品 S�
Within UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of History, Olshansky teaches Judaism and Science, a course that deals with the perceived conflict between science and Judaism, as well as Western religion in general. Through thought-provoking discussions about topics such as the Big Bang, DNA, Einstein 麻豆精品 S檚 Theory of Relativity and subatomic particles, students explore how one can reconcile major scientific questions with biblical creation stories.
麻豆精品 S淭he purpose of the course is not to prove that religion is true, 麻豆精品 S� Olshansky says. 麻豆精品 S淏ut it 麻豆精品 S檚 to show that there is some common ground 麻豆精品 S� more than many people realize 麻豆精品 S� between science and religion. 麻豆精品 S�
Yom Kippur 麻豆精品 S� which begins at sunset on Oct. 11 and concludes at nightfall on Oct. 12 this year 麻豆精品 S� falls at the end of the Jewish High Holy Days and is also known as the Day of Atonement. Fasting is traditionally observed 麻豆精品 S� although children, elderly adults, ill people, and pregnant women are forbidden from partaking 麻豆精品 S� and the shofar is sounded to mark the conclusion of the fast at nightfall. Afterwards, it 麻豆精品 S檚 traditional to enjoy a 麻豆精品 S渂reak-fast 麻豆精品 S� meal of typical breakfast and brunch foods.
The traditional Hebrew greeting on Yom Kippur is G 麻豆精品 S檓ar chatimah tovah: 麻豆精品 S淢ay you complete a good sealing. 麻豆精品 S� This refers to completing the process of reflecting on the actions of the past year, confessing and seeking forgiveness for wrongdoing, and planning to improve in the new year.
麻豆精品 S淲hatever Jewish denomination you look at, from the most traditional to the most liberal, confessions are moral and ethical failings, not ritual failings, 麻豆精品 S� Olshansky says.
When you think of confessions, you may picture a one-on-one conversation with a religious leader, such as in the Catholic tradition. But in the Jewish tradition, confessions are traditionally done in a group setting rather than in a one-on-one environment. Confessions are written out anonymously and phrased in the plural 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S淲e have been deceitful, 麻豆精品 S� for example 麻豆精品 S� so that no one feels singled out.
麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 a comfort level of being surrounded by people who are all flawed, 麻豆精品 S� Olshansky says. 麻豆精品 S淲e could all do better, and we help each other to start the year with a clean slate. 麻豆精品 S�
For Olshansky, teaching Judaism and Science and serving as a rabbi both provide an opportunity to invite self-examination 麻豆精品 S� in himself and others 麻豆精品 S� which he describes as the 麻豆精品 S渟piritual heart 麻豆精品 S� of the Jewish High Holy Days.
麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 a joke that I 麻豆精品 S檝e used from the pulpit in the past, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淎 person is praying on New Year 麻豆精品 S檚 morning: 麻豆精品 S楪od, I 麻豆精品 S檝e been really good so far this year. I haven 麻豆精品 S檛 spoken harshly to anybody. I haven 麻豆精品 S檛 taken anything that wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 mine. I haven 麻豆精品 S檛 been mean to my family members. But now God, I 麻豆精品 S檓 going to get out of bed, and then I 麻豆精品 S檓 going to need lots of help. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S�
Central Florida Hillel at UCF serves as a center for Jewish life on campus enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world (contact Executive Director Hunter Gold for more info). Chabad UCF is an organization dedicated to encouraging individuals of all backgrounds and degrees of observance to explore their Jewish heritage (contact Rabbi Chaim Lipskier for more info). Both organizations are hosting Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur observances and meals this year.
