By Eric Wolf Schoen
It’s hard to believe that the summer is over and the Jewish Holidays are here. The holidays are late this year but they are never really on time. Schools close and students don’t know the reason why. Just like Christmas and Easter, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews should be explained by classroom teachers so students have an idea why they have days off.
This year public school students have a bonanza of days off for the Jewish Holidays. They have a four day weekend with 2 days off for Rosh Hashanah and one day off for Yom Kippur. For non-Jewish teachers and students the four day weekend is a perfect time to get away, right after the opening of school.
In my house if you were off for the Jewish holidays you were expected to be praying at Temple or praying at home. This was for the major Jewish holidays and minor ones when you took the day off and public schools were open.
We were not rich but my mom and dad always made sure I had a jacket, slacks and a tie for the holidays. Several years ago for those who would not afford it we had a clothing store close by that would help out with dress. Being in the sanctuary is a special moment, just like being in church. One time a child went up to the bima or stage in the Temple to open the doors to take the Torah out of it’s case, an honor given to a lucky few and the child was in shorts and a T-shirt. This was truly disrespectful! To make it worse the child’s mother was a School Principal.
My philosophy regarding clothing is that the parents should buy 2 less bottles of wine or two less 6 packs of beer or 2 less cartons of cigarettes and buy clothes for their kids. There are plenty of organizations that give away children’s clothes, and plenty of people with perfectly good hand me downs. There is no reason a child should go to temple, Synagogue or Church dressed improperly.
On Rosh Hashanah we celebrate the New Year and everything we have to look forward to. On Yom Kippur we ask for forgiveness for our sins. I always thought it should be the other way around, ask forgiveness than celebrate what we look forward to in the New Year.
We ask for good health during the holiday period. This year I have to ask you a favor. I was recently diagnosed with early stages of Parkinson’s. I am blessed to have the best doctors, medications and health care available. Sadly many in my shoes are not. I will be fine, but I just ask for your prayers and prayers for other people in the world who are not as fortune as I am. Healing comes through prayers, and whether it be in a Jewish synagogue or a Catholic Church we need all we can get. Cover all your bases as my mom would say.
But prayers go both ways. Pray for those you know are Ill or have something sad going on in their lives. Call that person who you haven’t spoken to in years to see how they are. Check in with your elderly neighbors to make sure they have everything they need. Make sure they are safe and sound. My philosophy is to do something good everyday. Hold the door for someone who has their hands filled with grocery bags or shopping bags. Call 911 when you see an accident or someone in need.
We can’t ask God to just do something for us. So many people are retired and looking for something to do. Call the Yonkers Partners in Education and help a child get ready for college. Call the reading buddies at Family Service Society to help kids read and write. Call the library or your local school to see if they need help. You have so many talents and skills. Make use of them to help others.
Volunteering will bring satisfaction to you. Call the Volunteer Center of WESTCHESTER and they will partner you up with someone in need. Volunteer an hour to Ring the Salvation Army bell during the holidays. Clean out your closets and give clothes you will not wear to organizations that need them. Help families from the Ukraine who have settled here. There’s so much you can do to help those in need. Do it today.
As for me I ask for your positive thoughts and prayers. It’s hard for me to type and answer emails, so your personal thoughts and prayers are what counts. I’m blessed to have the best team on my side. Pray that others with Parkinson’s are so fortunate.
I may have to miss a column here and there. Please forgive me but know that I’m thinking about what’s going on in this crazy world we live in. WESTCHESTER and Yonkers included. And most importantly, a Heathy, Happy New year to Jews and non Jews alike in a world of Shalom, Peace!
BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET
A new school year has begun and it’s starting off like previous years. There was no free school bus when I went to school, nor free busing for my sister and parents. Busing in Yonkers was done to integrate the schools.
Yonkers has a system of choice when it comes to schools. You can have your child attend a school around the corner or a school with a specialized program on the other side of town. As long as this is the case you will have busing.
Yonkers has busing because approximately 80% of the students live in West Yonkers and 20% of the students live in East Yonkers. So until more schools are built in West Yonkers we will have exorbitant costs and major inconvenience in the morning from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m and 2:15 to 4:00 p.m.
Busing is a privilege. If your child is being bused and he or she is being met by a parent, the parent must be on the right side of the street where the child is getting off. In the morning the parent and child must be on the correct side of the street or corner where the child is getting picked up. Rain, sleet, snow or shine.
I get too many reports of parents running across the street to get there kids. And I see it too often. Or parents waiting inside their house until the school bus pulls up. This delays everyone involved and running across the street can be dangerous. If you are going to play the game you have to play by the rules. It’s that simple!
In closing, Is the Queen’s funeral over yet?
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen on the Westchester Rising Radio Show alternating Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM, WVOX.com click listen or download the WVOX app from the App Store free of charge.
