An extra candle lighting, for us, last night. And other traditions like starting the day with apples dipped in honey (for a sweet new year), braiding round challah (representing the crown of heaven, or the circle of the year if you follow less traditional interpretations) and casting bread into water (representing throwing away our past wrongdoing for a fresh start - which I am never one to pass up the chance for marking)!
Most importantly, hearing the Shofar being blown as a wake-up call to our souls - that and following the ongoing biblical instruction to make a loud joyful noise to the Lord. :) (That, I think, we can do!) The traditional focus of the Days of Awe following Yom Teruah is putting right our affairs and rededicating to holiness in the following year. Without minimising those themes I want the children to mostly take away the message that we are loved and covered by God's grace. So I tend to emphasise rather more the sweetness of God's gifts and our surety in Christ than a prolonged inward focus on our deeds and actions.
Shana Tovah, friends, and a year filled with sweetness to you all whatever new year dates you keep. Although I don't really personally consider Yom Teruah a new year as such (any more), as always I like to keep plenty of new years in my festival calendar! Greedy, I guess. ;)
:-) Lovely. At home ed group today we were talking about different religious and someone said they thought it was the Jewish New Year, but we weren't sure. So lovely to read your interpretation of the festival for your family :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd those round challah bread look very tasty indeed!
Aw, how lovely that it co-incides with the start of Martin's new job. A year of sweetness back to you.x
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