By Eric Wolf Schoen
I woke up on Wednesday Morning. The newspaper and radio were filled with stories about how the local Police would be working with laypersons at Jewish houses of worship to provide increased security for the holidays. I would later that evening participate in one such activity.
I woke up Wednesday morning to reports that Iran had attacked Israel with a 200 Ballistic missile barrage. This is the largest barrage to date. The missiles had been shot down and thank god no one was killed or secretly injured.
I woke up Wednesday morning to learn that Canada’s immigration policies are letting many terrorists into the United States planning mass killings of Jewish people. And all this going on as we get ready for the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks. God only knows what this may bring.
Happy New Year! Sadly, this is a tough time for Jews in America.
Whether in be on college campuses or grocery stores, Jewish people are subject to a tremendous amount of antisemitism. The Jews, who built this country and its many institutions of higher education are not being shown the respect that we deserve.
The Jewish holidays are late this year. Your cost of traditional foods like brisket, the chickens, the chopped liver have all gone sky high. In the middle we are hit by a shipping strike that will increase prices more because of the ingredients in these these foods And many other foods served this time of year are all ready high in cost!
But wait a minute. Look at the calendar. Rosh Hashanah in October?! Who made that decision? It’s pretty late!
Actually, the Jewish holidays fall right on time.The Jewish or Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar created and used by the Hebrew people—it’s “lunar” in that every month follows the phases of the moon, and “solar” because the calendar’s 12 months follow the earth’s orbit around the son. So stop worrying where it falls and start celebrating. You won’t see confetti flying but we do use a special device to welcome the New Year. The device is a Shofar.
A shofar is an ancient musical horn typically made of a ram‘s horn, used for Jewish religious purposes. Like the modern bugle, the shofar lacks control done by varying the player’s embouchure. lipping is the use of the lips, facial muscles, tongue, and teeth in playing a wind instrument. This includes shaping the lips to the mouthpiece of a woodwind instrument or the mouthpiece of a brass instrument.
The shofar is blown in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Yom Kippur; it is also blown every weekday morning in the month of Elul running up to Rosh Hashanah.[2] Shofars come in a variety of sizes and shapes, depending on the choice of animal and level of finish.
I have recently started to learn how to play the shofar. I’ve had one for over 30 years but my shofar was small and difficult to play. I have the good fortune to be able to use a shofar that was owned by mom’s dear friend Claire Simkins. I put the call out for a large shofar, and Claire’s son David said his mom of blessed memory would be delighted if I used her shofar.
Learning the shofar is my project for the year. You don’t have to be Jewish to have a new project. . The great Martha Stewart said we should learn something new every day.
So while I learn the shofar, why don’t you learn something new too! And for all my Jewish and non-Jewish friends, a Happy, Healthy New Year in a world of Shalom, Peace!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com, or friend him on Facebook Eric Schoen…just look for him in the picture with Joan Rivers!
