Happy New Year!

In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation. -Leviticus 16:24

Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 12, the first of Tishri. L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem -- May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.

Tom tells me that the rabbi at Hillel House at the University of Chicago announced that Rebecca (Tom's daughter) would be providing food for everyone during the holy days -- about twelve meals for a couple dozen folks. Becca was a bit surprised to hear this, apparently. [If I understood this correctly.]

I also learned that there is more than one "New Year's Day" in the Jewish calendar -- sort of like we have a new fiscal year and a new school year in ours: "In Judaism, Nissan 1 is the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar, Elul 1 (in August) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 (in February) is the new year for trees (determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc.), and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is the new year for years (when we increase the year number. Sabbatical and Jubilee years begin at this time)." [From Judaism 101 website on the holiday]