With 2020 being a total mess across the board, wouldn't it be great if we could just fast forward to next year? Well, for the Jews among us, next year is already upon us. The Jewish calendar is about to turn over as we celebrate Rosh HaShana and enter into the year 5781. Your trusty Israel tour guide and Jew guru is here with a collection of things to help you celebrate the Jewish New Year in style.
But first... if you are not sure about which High Holiday activities you should be participating in or not due to the still ever-present coronavirus, here is a great article from two epidemiologists about the subject... https://www.jpost.com/judaism/amid-the-coronavirus-pandemic-how-risky-are-high-holy-day-activities-640787
Okay, now on to the main attraction... a bunch of fun, delicious, educational, comical, musical and spiritual offerings to get you ready for Rosh HaShana - which begins on Friday night!
For those needing a quick reminder or introduction to what Rosh HaShana is all about, famous Jewish actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik has you covered:
Watch this cute kid sing Avinu Malkeinu - the most noted prayer from the High Holidays - including an additional part in English which explains what the Day of Judgment is all about.
Of course no Rosh HaShana would be complete without some great food. Try these out:
https://www.israel21c.org/looking-for-something-cool-and-tasty-try-our-pomegranate-sorbet/ (recipe and instructions in the article plus a video below)
If you missed Michael Solomonov's Rosh HaShana cooking class, it will be available to watch online only until about 10:30PM Eastern Time tonight (Tuesday). If you don't know who he is, he is only the universally acclaimed best chef in the USA. Go to the link here (the password is Zahav and is case-sensitive): https://vimeo.com/showcase/7323141?video=457559876
I have posted the recipes below for your dining pleasure...
Of course it seems like you can't have a Jewish holiday these days without an appearance by the Maccabeats, who put together an incredibly poignant, relevant, beautiful and socially distant version of BaShana HaBa'a (In the year to come).
Meanwhile a different Jewish acapella group put together a mashup of the Ashkenazi and Sephardi/Mizrachi Selichot prayers. Check out the story here https://www.jpost.com/judaism/jewish-acapella-group-release-selichot-medley-in-time-for-rosh-hashanah-641563 and the video below:
To see what these prayers really look like at their epicenter - the Western Wall - here is a 360 Degree Video of Selichot Services from last year...
For those of us who will be engaging with other live human beings this holiday season, here is a handy and hilarious guide to figure out who is who...
For those of us who will be staying at home, here is a comprehensive lesson on how to blow a shofar, since you just might have to do it yourself... fortunately in Israel you can buy one at the supermarket! Seriously - they just asked for obvious reasons that you not blow them at the store. Remember, that according to Jewish law, you don't actually have to see the shofar blower - the mitzvah is to hear it.
As a bonus, here is a timely Jewish joke to get ready for Sukkot, the Festival of Booths, where we bring together 4 different species - the Etrog (Citron), Hadas (Myrtle), Aravah (Willow) and Lulav (Palm) - of which it has been noted that one has taste and smell, one only taste, one only smell and one has neither.
And finally, last but absolutely not least, those looking for some words of wisdom and spiritual growth this Rosh HaShana, here is a brand-new 3-part lecture series for Rosh HaShana in the time of corona, by the incredible Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, whom if you follow my page, I consider to be the premier Jewish ethicist and educator of our time. The topics are "Faith & Insecurity," "Rethinking Failure" and "Building the Future." Each talk is about 15 minutes and is completely worth it as we prepare for the coming year.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy new year full of physical and spiritual nourishment and sustenance, love and success. And remember... next year in Jerusalem!! Well, next year is about to start. Talk to me about making a trip to of a lifetime to Israel. Even if you have been before, trust me, there is still so much more to experience. Check out my website to learn more: www.tourguideofisrael.com.
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