Seniors celebrate High Holidays at Jewish Community Center
Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum, director of Chabad of the South Hills, sounds the shofar during a senior luncheon Sept. 16 at the Jewish Community Center in Scott Township. The luncheon was held to celebrate the upcoming High Holidays.
Izzy Horowitz practices sounding the shofar during a senior luncheon Sept. 16 at the Jewish Community Center in Scott Township in anticipation of the start of the High Holidays Sept. 24.
Nanette Simon of South Fayette L. and her mother, Irene Kishter of Scott Township clapped as Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum sang several Jewish songs during a luncheon Sept. 16 at the Jewish Community Center to celebrate the upcoming High Holidays.
Milly Klein of Bethel Park has celebrated the High Holidays for more years than she will admit. Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown Sept. 24, signaling the beginning of the High Holidays that culminate with Yom Kippur at sundown Oct. 3. To get into the spirit of the High Holidays on the Jewish calendar, Klein joined a group of senior citizens Sept. 16 to enjoy an afternoon at the Jewish Community Center in Scott Township.
Once a month, Chabad of the South Hills, Mt. Lebanon, hosts a senior luncheon with a program dedicated to the early observance of an upcoming holiday, such as Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah or Passover, said Barb Segel, development coordinator at Chabad of the South Hills.
“I come when I can,” Klein said of her attendance at the luncheons. “I get into the spirit of the thing, especially this group, as they are Orthodox.” She was referring to Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum, director, Chabad of the South Hills, and his wife Batya Rosenblum, co-director of the center.
Rabbi Rosenblum treated the 40 seniors as he sang several traditional Jewish songs, with the seniors singing along and clapping. He then picked up the shofar, which means ram’s horn, and blew one long burst, following by three medium blows and then nine short blows.
“The sound is like a child crying out to a parent,” Batya Rosenblum said.
Izzy Horowitz of Scott Township blew a smaller, plastic version of a shofar that was placed beside his lunch plate, courtesy of Chabad of the South Hills. The woman seated to his left commented by saying, “You’re good.” Horowitz was quick to respond, “I have a lot of hot air,” before breaking into laughter.
“It’s not easy to blow a shofar,” Batya Rosenblum told the seniors. The larger the ram’s horn, the more difficult it is to blow. The rams are not injured or feel pain when the horns are removed, she said.
“To hear the shofar is a wake-up call, as God judges us for the year to come and we must prepare ourselves with extra prayers and extra good deeds,” Batya Rosenblum said.
Rosh Hashanah is a time to reconnect to God, she said, and to resolve to do things better for the upcoming year.
In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means Head of the Year, with the common greeting, “Happy New Year.” This year, Sept. 24-26 begins the year 5775 on the Jewish calendar, which is believed to date to the creation of Adam and Eve considered by the Jews to be the birthday of mankind, according to a booklet placed beside the luncheon plate at the JCC.
In Hebrew, the greeting is Leshana Tovah Tekatev Vitechatem, or “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.”
One tradition often observed on the first night of Rosh Hashanah is to dip a slice of apple in honey to ensure a sweet upcoming year. To carry on that tradition, the seniors finished a meal of bagels, tuna fish, liver pate and egg salad with a slice of honey cake.
“I can’t make honey cake,” lamented Nanette Simon of South Fayette Township. She attended the luncheon with her mother Irene Kishter of Scott Township. Both sang, clapped and enjoyed each other’s company as much as the honey cake.
Janice Pomerantz of Scott Township attends the monthly luncheons when there is an upcoming special holiday. She, along with Horowitz, attend Beth El Congregation on Cochran Road.
While the Sept. 16 luncheon focused more on Rosh Hashanah, the holiest day of the year begins at sundown Oct. 3, the eve of Yom Kippur. A 25-hour fast is observed from sundown to the following nightfall with the day typically spent in the synagogue abstaining from food, washing, wearing leather shoes or having marital relations. White clothing is often worn, reminding observers of his or her mortality and of the need to repent. Yom Kippur ends with a closing prayer and a blast from the shofar. The fast is then broken.
Seven days that follow the end of Yom Kippur are referred to as a time to rejoice and is known as sukkot. Literally translated, sukkot means huts or outdoor shelters.
Batya Rosenblum told the group about the sukkot where meals are eaten. Inside the sukkot is a palm branch known as a lulav, and it is tradition to do the lulav shake,combining the palm with three myrtle twigs and two willow branches in the right hand while saying a blessing.
Klein felt refreshed after the luncheon and said she has celebrated the High Holidays all of her life and this year will be no exception when she joins with her family to celebrate and to reflect.
For information about the upcoming High Holiday services at Chabad of South Hills, call 412-344-2424, or visit chabadsh.com