Shana Tova U'Metukah-a good and sweet new year! Our class has successfully completed the first chapter of our book Kol Yisrael. The students learned how to welcome each other with modern Hebrew too! Please note that we will not be having class on Wednesday due to Erev Rosh Hashana.
I look forward to welcoming everyone back to class next year! Keep practicing for 10 minutes every day. I hope the students will be attending the special program and services prepared for them. They will be really able to participate with their growing Hebrew knowledge. Here is a download from www.judaism.about.com regarding a Rosh Hashana custom!
New Fruit
On the second night of Rosh Hashanah, we eat a "new fruit" – meaning, a fruit that has recently come into season but that we have not yet had the opportunity to eat. When we eat this new fruit, we say the shehechiyanu blessing thanking God for keeping us alive and bringing us to this season. This ritual reminds us to appreciate the fruits of the earth and being alive to enjoy them.
A pomegranate is often used as this new fruit. In the Bible, the Land of Israel is praised for its pomegranates. It is also said that this fruit contains 613 seeds just as there are 613 mitzvot. Another reason given for blessing and eating pomegranate on Rosh HaShanah is that we wish that our good deeds in the ensuing year will be as plentiful as the seeds of the pomegranate.
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