Shana Tova, Happy New Year!!!

This is the High Holiday Season for us. So Happy New Year! I hope that the year 5769 is a wonderful year to you all! Here is a beautiful song for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liEx3Ex120I


For the uninformed and curious:

1. Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, the symbolic anniversary of the creation of the world. The words Rosh Hashanah literally mean "Head of the Year." In addition to being the anniversary of the past creation of the world, Jewish tradition sees everyone as being created anew at this time every year. Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (which usually falls sometime in September or October).
2. Day of JudgmentRosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgment. On Rosh Hashanah, God opens the Books of Life and Death. Jews ask to be forgiven for their sins in the hope that God will give them a good signing in the Book of Life for the coming year.
3. Pre-Rosh Hashanah: Slichot and Hatarat NedarimIn order to enter the new year with a clean slate, Jews ask for forgiveness and annul all vows before Rosh Hashanah. Slichot, which means forgiveness, is a series of prayers recited daily in preparation for the "Days of Awe", Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Hatarat Nedarim, absolution of vows, is practiced by more observant Jews.
4. Rosh Hashanah Prayers: God is KingOn Rosh Hashanah, most of the day is spent praying in synagogue. There are many unique prayers on Rosh Hashanah, so a special prayer book called a machzor is used. The main theme of the Rosh Hashanah liturgy is that God is King, and He rewards good.
5. Mitzvah of the ShofarThe essential mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah is to hear the sounding of the shofar. The shofar is a ram's horn which is blown like a trumpet. When Rosh Hashanah falls on the Sabbath, the shofar is not blown
6. Meaning of the Shofar The blasts of the shofar are reminiscent of:1) The sound of a King's coronation2) The wailing of a Jewish heart3) A spiritual wake-up call for Jews to repent4) Abraham's great faith in God. (Abraham bound his on Isaac, but was allowed at the last minute to sacrifice a ram in Isaac's stead.)
7. Festive MealA festive meal is central to the Rosh Hashanah holiday. A round challah, which symbolizes completion, is used. The challah, as well as apple, is dipped into honey to symbolize hope for a sweet new year. Other foods have also become Rosh Hashanah traditions, as they symbolize hopes for the coming year.
8. "Shana Tova"There are two traditional Rosh Hashanah greetings. "Shana Tova" means Good Year. "Chatima Tova" means Good Signing in the Book of Life.
9. TashlichOn Rosh Hashanah, observant Jews may follow a custom called tashlich (casting off) in which they walk to flowing water, say a prayer, and symbolically throw their sins into the water. Tashlich is done on the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah. If Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, then tashlich is done on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. If tashlich was not done on Rosh Hashanah, it may be said anytime during the Ten Days of Repentance. The practice of tashlich is not discussed in the Bible, but it is a long-standing custom.
10. Ten Days of RepentanceOn Rosh Hashanah, God signs one in the Book of Life, but only on Yom Kippur does he "seal" one in the book. Therefore, during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur one's verdict is not certain. This period is referred to as the "Ten Days of Repentance," and it is a time in which Jews engage in intense introspection