Published: September 11, 2009 01:59 pm      

High Holy Days are nearing for Jewish faithful

By TOM LAVIS

TLAVIS@TRIBDEM.COM

Followers of the Jewish faith across the region are called to contemplate their lives before God and their fellow man during the High Holy Days, which will begin at sundown Friday with Rosh Hashana.

As the sun sets, the area’s Jewish people will usher in the year 5770 with an evening service at Beth Sholom Congregation, 700 Indiana St. in Westmont.

The celebration ends at nightfall on Sept. 20.

Rosh Hashana marks the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days that end with Yom Kippur on Sept. 28

It’s during these 10 days that people do self-evaluation, confess sins to God and make amends for their sins.

“It’s a time of reflection, fasting, charity, prayer and seeking forgiveness from God and fellow man for sins committed against them,” said Rabbi Irvin Brandwein, religious leader of Beth Sholom.

Services on Saturday and Sunday are highlighted by the blowing of the shofar, or ram’s horn, calling Jews to reflect and pray for the coming year.

The shofar, one of the earliest instruments in Jewish music, is blown 100 times to remind Jews of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac to carry out God’s command.

“That’s one of the origins,” Brandwein said. “It’s sounded as a call to assembly and as an alarm to arouse people from their sleep.”

During the afternoon, prayers are recited near naturally flowing water, and one’s sins are symbolically cast into the water.

“We throw bread on the water to symbolize the casting off or the cleansing of sins,” he said.

The holy days are the ideal time for Jews to return to their heritage, Brandwein said.

“We are saying it’s a time to return to the right path and become better people by being more honest, righteous, decent and prayful,” the rabbi said. “Although we may be worth less because of the economy, we are not worthless in the eyes of God or our loved ones.”

Yom Kippur arrives at sundown Sept. 28. It is a 25-hour period of fasting, reflection and prayer.

Yom Kippur is considered to be the most sacred of all Jewish holidays. It is called the Day of Atonement.

There are five prohibitions on the holy day: No eating or drinking, no anointing with perfumes or lotions, no marital relations, no washing and no wearing of leather shoes.

“It’s a day of not being concerned about the physical, but rather concentrate on the spiritual,” Brandwein said.

“We examine our behavior carefully and make improvements.”

It is the only service of the year when the doors to the Ark (where the Torah, the scrolls of Jewish scripture, is stored) remain open through the entire service. It is to signify that the gates of heaven are open at that time, Brandwein said.