Skip to main content

It's September 8th! Shofar So Good?

Wow!!! Amazing how time goes by so quickly. There is a song by the Tempos. Perhaps you've heard it. It's entitled, See you in September. Here it is compliments of ak47bandit on youtube. Click here!

Depending upon where you are in the world, when summer begins and when it ends determines the start of the educational year. Most people in the United States embrace the end of August to be the end of summer, especially with the return of school.

Yet summer is not over until about September 22nd in the United States with the beginning of autumn equinoxes the next day. Perhaps that’s why my daughters Girl Scout registration day is September 24Th with official start October 1, 2010.

At at any rate, school is in session. A family member called and asked if I were taking my girls to school today. My answer, yes. Apparently some parents are still protesting the midweek start. In case you didn't already know, Rosh Hashanah is on Thursday and Friday.

New York City Public Schools will be closed after today's start with a return on Monday, September 13, 2010. Many parents were unhappy about this decision. The schools chancellor, Joel I. Klien announced that the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) opted to keep September 8th as the official start of school so that Brooklyn Queens Day can continue to be a day off! At least that what I recall.

Brian Gibbons of UFT explains it DOE won’t change first day of classes | United Federation of Teachers">here.

While much debate is about the calender, lets educate ourselves about Rosh Hashanah. What is it anyway? Go to Chabad.org one will find that it means head of year in Jewish tradition. It's an anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve and their first actions towards the realization of mankind's role in God's world,as identified on the chabad.org site.

The story of Adam and Eve can be found in most Holy Bibles in Genesis Chapter 2. One can read the story via biblegateway. Click Here. The day also commemorates man's first sin and repentance; Eating the fruit of the tree which was forbidden and asking God for forgiveness. Many blow the shofar, a rams horn to signify calling a people to their king.

This two day celebration marks the start of ten days of repentance, which ends on Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement. Special observations are to bless each other with kind words and eat apples dipped in honey to signify the desire for a sweet year. Now, that's a nice new meaning to give a teacher an apple and a kind phrase for the start of this season!

Be Educated; Be Blessed! Comments are welcome below and on facebook, Peace.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Tea at MEC!

Left: Dr. Patricia Ramsey, President Medgar Evers College and Right: Yours Truly, Melanie Lewis  Hello ThresholdWorld Fam, It’s been a while so we’re gonna start off with some flavorful news to warm your spirit.  Sunday, August 28th was the Medgar Evers College (MEC) Pre-Inaugural High Tea Fundraiser in honor of the Sixth President, Dr. Patricia Ramsey.  President Ramsey is the first female and scientist to serve at the college. You’ve got to read her fascinating bio of accomplishments.  https://www.mec.cuny.edu/office-of-the-president/  While contributing to the history she really just wants to make a difference to students and the school community.  She also has cool ties to the schools namesake in  her family tree. Her very own cousin Curtis Harris, served to make sure Medgar Evers legacy was protected back in Mississippi years ago. She shared these sentiments to those of us in attendance as we sipped our tea and tipped our hats in her honor. Speaki...

Economics, Balance and Love!

Hello World! I attended the 13th Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit this afternoon in New York, NY. The topic: “Targeted Stimulus: A Call to Equity and Parity.” The event dates are January 13-15, 2010 at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. www.wallstreetproject.org The Project was founded on January 15, 1996 to honor the birth of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the beginning of the first quarter of the business year. The Project’s organizational origin, as referenced on the website, rests with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Operation Breadbasket, established by Dr. King in 1966 to work toward a more inclusive America by combining theology with the struggle for economic justice. This afternoon’s highlights included: New York State Governor David Patterson receiving the Percy Sutton Award and Pastor Hezekiah Walker receiving the Reverend Timothy Wright award. The United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke of the many oppo...

Glowing Pyched for 2010 Olympics!!!!!!

Olympic Pictures »Public Gallery Apologies for not posting on Thursday, but TGIF! Special Friday Countdown to the Olympics which begin on next Friday, February 12-28, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada ! "With Glowing Hearts" is the theme. Went online to check out prices to attend the opening ceremonies. Ouch! 1000+ ThresholdWorld will plan to attend Rio 2016 . We will save now to be seated for those opening ceremonies and have a Workacation! Check out the web sites linked throughout this post for all the details. So many new and exciting plans in store with the Paralympic and new youth Olympics underway in August. Just check it out. Imagine, the world is watching and competing for the Gold! -So you know I, Melanie am writing this blog today. I will never forget watching the 1996 Olympics with my Czech Family in the Czech Republic. Thanks to UTube I can revisit and you with me. Boyz 2 Men were singing the National Anthem . You should have seen the look my home...