I LOVE a new year! A restart, a refresh, a renewal. So, I can’t resist a chance to use this time to reevaluate and recalculate my year so far.
I LOVE Rosh Hashanah even though I’m not Jewish. I pick up a bottle of wine, some apples, and honey and settle in to toast a new year.
Rosh Hashanah holds special meaning for me. It was during Rosh Hashanah that I went to a personal development seminar that changed my life. It felt like a new beginning for me. A new lease on life.
It was a Jewish friend of mine who told me about the seminar and mentioned that it would be during Rosh Hashanah while I was there.
This felt providential to me and so I have celebrated Rosh Hashanah every year since then. The anniversary of my new life each time I toast a fresh new “good and sweet year”.
It is tradition at the end of the holiday meal to dip apple slices in honey and toast the new year with a glass of wine. The customary greeting is “Shana Tova” which means “To a good and sweet year.”
This year, Rosh Hasanah begins at sundown on Friday, September 15th.
So, all this to say, I celebrate TWO New Years!
I ran across this adorable picture book which talks about this very thing.
Click picture to place this delightful book on hold!
It’s called Two New Years, by Richard Ho, and was born from the author’s background of being both Chinese AND Jewish.
It shares how he has created a beautiful new family tradition with his own family to celebrate both the Chinese New Year and Rosh Hashanah each year.
It is told in a warm, gentle way that shows the beauty of both holidays. The illustrations are rich, warm, and perfectly support the lovely message of this book.
The underlying message is stated by the author in the Author’s Note at the end.
“I hope that readers of all backgrounds see themselves in these pages and relate to the joy of celebrating many worlds that aren’t so different after all”
My sentiment exactly. And, why I don’t feel strange celebrating a Jewish holiday while not being Jewish.
We can learn so much from each other by learning more about each other. A great place to start is learning about each other’s holidays. Because who doesn’t love a celebration!?!
Shana Tova!
