[Neubill]

As Rosh Hashanah approaches on your September 2008 calendar, wish your Jewish friend a Happy New Year by saying, "L'Shanah Tovah!"

Phonetic pronounciation: leh-shah-NAH toh-VAH

L'shanah tovah means roughly, "Have a good year."

The Jewish New Year celebration, known as Rosh Hashanah, begins Monday night at sundown on Sept. 29th. It begins the Hebrew Year of 5769.

After the destruction of the second Temple, the Hebrew calendar was changed to the alternate agricultural calendar instead of the Biblical calendar. The Biblical calendar's New Year begins in Spring, just before Passover. The agricultural calendar's New Year begins on the first day of the Biblical 7th month. Leviticus 23 shows us that the 1st day of the 7th month is the Festival of Trumpets.

The Festival of Trumpets is also known as Yom Teruah (the day of the blowing), which is the shofar festival. Many who read this will know that a shofar is a ram's horn. Jews have a party in the evening and see how many sweet things we can eat until we send ourselves into a diabetic coma. The common thing to indulge in is apples dipped in honey, and many homes have a honey tasting party. At my house, we'll have local honey from LA's bees, as well as two kinds of honey from Israel: Date Honey and honey from the Galilee.

The following morning, Jews will go to the synagogue instead of work and have a special service to observe the Festival of Trumpets. The shofar is blown several times by a person who has the skill to do so. It's a wonderful service.

This day begins the 10 day march towards Yom Kippur: the Day of Atonement. This 10 day period is the opportunity for Jews to inspect themselves, make resolutions, make things right with a 'brother', and make things right with G-d.

Your Jewish friend will certainly be impressed that you know this stuff! It's knowing little things like these that help your ability to relate to your mission field.