Hi Everyone

We are in the midst of the holiday if Sukkot, where we go out of our homes and built hut-like structures outside to remember how we lived when G-d took us out of the land of Egypt and saved us while we wandered in the desert for 40 years. When we travelled in the desert we were surrounded on all sides by the “clouds of glory” which protected us from all harm. We remember that even now, when we have all of the amazing conveniences of modern living, that G-d is still our only protector.

At the end of the seven days of Sukkot there are two more holidays. The first is Shemini Atzeret, where most people still eat in the sukkah but don’t use a lulav and esrog. There is increased joy, and we begin to add the prayer for rain in our daily prayers.

This is followed by Simchat Torah, a celebration of finishing the cycle of reading the Torah. We read the last portion from the last book (Deuteronomy) and immediately begin from the first book (Genesis). There is    much dancing and merriment, and a really wonderful time is had by all.

I hope we all take the joy from these holidays and carry it with us through the whole year! All the best!

Hi Everyone

I hope we all merit to have a sweet new year, filled with the blessings of good health, livelihood, wisdom, friendship, and much more! The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana was just celebrated, and we are now in the time period known as the ten days of repentance. This is the time to examine our deeds, ask for forgiveness to those we’ve wronged, give forgiveness to those who’ve wronged us, and resolve to improve ourselves.

Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, is quickly approaching. During that solemn day we open our hearts in prayer and beseech Hashem to forgive us and our People, and to bless us in the new year.

This is followed quickly by the holiday if Sukkot (which I will G-D willing expand on in another post), but because of these back to back holidays I would like to ask all of you for forgiveness in the delays in sending out books or approving your membership. As a housekeeping measure, I do want to remind everyone that their full address (including city and state) must be on your application, otherwise it is automatically rejected (since we don’t approve people outside the continental US we must see a valid US address).

May we all have a beautiful and sweet new year, May we be inscribed and sealed in the Book of life and all good things!