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September 13, 2007

Observances begin together: Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan

Journal photo / Andrew Dickerman
From left, Rabbi Wayne Franklin, his daughter, Batya, 13, Rabbi Alvan Kaunfer and Dr. Steven Peiser, participants in Temple Emanuel-el Rosh Hashanah service, yesterday practice blowing the shofar. The horns will be sounded during observances today in the Providence synagogue and others around the world.

For the third year in a row, Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan are overlapping.

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, began at sundown last night, and continues through today and, for some communities, tomorrow.

The holiday marks the first day of the Hebrew month Tishrei, 163 days after the first day of Passover. It can come as early as Sept. 5, or as late as Oct. 5.

The holiday is also marked by the shofar, a trumpet made from a ram's horn and prayer.

Like many holidays across religions, meals during Rosh Hashanah are marked with symbolism. Apples and honey are staples that symbolize the sweetness of a new year and round loaves of challah refer to the cycle of a new year.

Food is a symbol in another holiday that begins today; this year, Sept. 13 is the first day of the fast for Ramadan.

Abstaining from food represents discipline during the ninth month of the Islamic year when Muslims focus less on day-to-day affairs and more on faith and community.

The fast begins after a pre-dawn prayer and breakfast and lasts until the end of the fourth daily prayer, at sundown.

While Muslim holidays are tied to a lunar calendar, Jewish holidays are are determined both by calendar that is mostly, lunar but adjusted to keep seasonal constancy.

For the past three years, the calendars have met on these two holidays.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 1:11 PM | Permalink

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Nikol | September 17, 2007 12:18 PM link

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