October 2007
Sukkot: A Chance to Change Your Routines and Have Some Fun
By Jim Keen
Note: Sukkot begins at sunset on Sept. 26 and lasts eight days.
As a Protestant, I have to admit I had never heard of the holiday of Sukkot until I met my Jewish wife, Bonnie. I'd be surprised if 10 percent of the non-Jewish population of our hometown of Ann Arbor had heard of it either. It's just not a holiday that gets a lot of press. This is really a shame, because, over the last decade, I have found it to be one of the most enjoyable holidays of either religion. It is a time to remember the Jews who wandered the desert for forty years, a time to celebrate the harvest, and a time to spend with family and friends.... [Continued]
Simchat Torah is Party Time for the Torah
By Suzan Berns
Note: Simchat Torah begins at sunset on Wednesday, Oct. 3.
Many people are familiar with the eight-day Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot, but have never heard of a lesser-known holiday, which falls the day after Sukkot. Called Simchat Torah, it is one of the most overlooked yet joyous Jewish holidays of the year... [Continued]
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TRADITION!, Tevye sang in Fiddler on the Roof. Everyone gets a warm familiar feeling hearing the song. It sounds so… traditional. What is this thing, tradition? At the late night study for S’lichot (a pre-Rosh Hashanah service) at my synagogue the rabbi asked us to break into groups and discuss what “tradition” means to us. Each group essentially said the same thing: Tradition is the way my family has always done it... [Continued]
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We spend much of our time protected within the solid walls of our homes and offices with the many comforts that we feel are essential for our safety and well-being. The sukkah, the booth which is built as the central symbol during the holiday of Sukkot is a fragile, open structure connecting us to our environment and to those around us, and reminding us of the fragility of life, offering us the opportunity to open ourselves up to our surroundings and to each other... [Continued]
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How does the ancient bible impact contemporary life? What were our rabbis thinking when they wrote it? An afternoon filled with study and discussion about the Bible along with insightful interpretations by scholars will take place at fifth annual Bible by the Bay on Sunday, Oct. 21... [Continued]
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If you’re looking for a way to touch something Jewish without a major commitment, check out the classes at the Peninsula JCC. Among the subjects of offerings this fall are Shabbat dinners, klezmer music, Jewish books and the Jewish artist Modigliani... [Continued]
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