Dear Friends,
This is the second newsletter being sent out to the Jewish deaf young adults in Los Angeles. We are proud to announce the high holiday services was a success.
We want to thank our friends for their support and giving us the chance to offer this unique creative services.
Attendees at Rosh Hashana were: Shelley Goul & Jena, Jeff Lubman, Susan Margolin, Joshua Mendelsohn, Steven Merkin, David Rosenbaum, Hetty Rothenberg & Justin, Ira Rothenberg, Amy Sladek & Aaron & Sharon & David Soudakoff and Joshua.
Rosh Hashana services started at 9:30 a.m. after gathering at 9 a.m. with kosher Dunkin Donuts and drinks. We used the Artscroll Machzor Sharon gave a sermon on Numbers. Here is a reprint of the presentation:
Do we ever often wonder why in the Jewish religion, there are so many numbers that has a meaning behind its number? For example, did you know that even numbers are considered unlucky and odd numbers lucky according to the Talmud?
There were even arguments about drinking the four cups of wine at Passover Seder, but it was decided that Passover’s status as a “night of protection” would ward off the evil effect of the even number. It is also considered unlucky to number people such as when counting for a minyan of ten men. Instead a biblical verse of ten words is usually recited to count heads.
I will give you some interesting examples of what the numbers represent or symbolize.
The number one, which in Hebrew is Achad. G-d is one. One symbolizes wholeness, uniqueness, and individualism. It is also an symbol of marriage, two beings joined as one. The Bible states: Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, so that they become one flesh.”
Number three, It represents completeness. There are three ancestral patriarches (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), three major pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Shavuot. & Sukkot), three major divisions of the Bible (Tanahk – Torah, Prophets and Writings), three verses of the Priestly Blessings (Kohen, Levi & Israelites). There are also three major prayer services on weekdays (morning service Shaharit, afternoon Minchah, and evening Maariv. On Shabbat, there are three formal meals, the last one known as the “Third Meal”. Three is especially important during Rosh Hashana, the shofar is sounded three times in combinations of three different notes. One note, Tekiah has a single blast, shevarim, three blasts, and teruah, nine blasts. When someone files for a Jewish divorce, a “get”, there are three judges so there can airways be a majority. Jewish festivals conclude with the appearance of three stars in the evening sky. symbolizing the end of holy and the resumption of secular Time. Hamentashen is a three cornered pastry for Purim.
Number four: Seasons (fall, winter, spring and summer), directions (north, south, east & west), Sukkot has four species which are the luvav (palm), estrog, willow and myrtle. There are four Biblical matriarches, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel & Leah. Jacob had four wives, Rachel, Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah who gave birth to the Twelve Tribes, ancestors of the Jewish people. During Passover, we have four cups- of wine and we have the youngest person ask the four questions.
Five: we have five fingers, toes, senses, five extreminities (arms, legs & head), The Torah has Five Books of Moses which is also known as the Pentateuch. An apple has five seeds.
Seven: there are seven planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, sun, moon), colors of the rainbow. The Jewish calendar has many seven meanings: The Shabbat falls on the seventh day, the High Holidays fall on the seventh month. Both Sukkot and Passover are seven day holidays, the Torah portion is divided into seven sections. At a wedding, the bride goes around the groom seven times under the chuppah, seven days of mourning after a funeral called Shiva. In ancient times, the menorah had seven branches, the tefillin are wrapped around the arm seven times. In the Bible, there are seven species that are specified to symbolize the fertility of the land; barley, dates, figs, grapes, olives, pomegranates and wheat. In Jewish folk culture and magic, seven is associated with good luck.
Ten: there are ten plagues during Passover sedan ten commandments, ten men required for a minyan, a prayer quorum. During the high holidays, there are ten days of Repentance from Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur falls on the tenth day of the month. On Rosh Hashana, we recite ten verses in each of the special sections of the liturgy, one sounds a hundred (ten times ten) blasts of the shofar. Human beings have ten fingers.
Other numbers like 12, 18, 22, 40, 70 and 1 ,000 also has many reasons behind its numbers and meanings.
I could go on forever giving you more examples, but these are just some of the examples so you may want to read some books on numbers and read their meanings. Isn’t that fascinating!
How many of you can guess how many seeds there are in a pomegranates? 613!!! That is how many mitzvots we have! Interesting! Wishing you all a very happy healthy new year. L’Shana Tovah . . .
We ended the services at 12:30. Lunch was served with honey, challah, pomegranates, homemade gefilite fish with kiwi, chicken, rice, and sponge and honey cakes.
During Yom Kippur, attendees were: Roxanne Baker, Bernice Drake, Shelley Goul & Jena, Alice & Mitch Kurs & Elizabeth, Andrea Kurs, Jeff Lubman, Steven Merkin, Hetty Rothenberg & Justin, Amy Sladek & Aaron, Sharon & David Soudakoff & Joshua. We started services at 10:30 a.m and ended at 1:00 p.m. We went outside in the backyard to enjoy the beautiful weather and chatted with friends. At 3 p.m. we had a group discussion, the topic was: Are you deaf first or Jewish first and why? Is it better to date/marry to a Jewish hearing or deaf non-Jewish person? Pros & cons during holidays and having a family. Everyone shared their experiences and it was an enriching rap session. We resumed services at 6 p.m. and conducted the Neilah services then had the havdalah . Dinner was served. Lox, cream cheese, vegetables, bagels, herring, meal martgefilte fish, danish pastries, and chocolate chip mandel bread with pineapple and grapefruit juices. People started to leave at 10:30 p.m.
We want to thank Shauna Milligan who took great care of three boys, Aaron, Joshua and Justin. Also many thanks to student Rabbi Rebecca Dubowe and Rabbi Fred Friedman for their advice and assistance with the service plannings.
May we be together again next year! Happy Healthy New Year.
UPDATE NEWS
Chanukah Party
Susan Margolin has kindly offered to host the Chanukah party at her townhome clubhouse on December 20th. It will be a potluck brunch and exchange gift party at 11 a.m. Hope you all will come and help us celebrate Chanukah.
FINANCIAL REPORT FOR SERVICES
Income:
Participants 26 x $20.00
520.00
TOTAL INCOME:
520.00
Expenses: Kinko’s: Copies of Prayer Books
Rosh Hashana
138.78
Yom Kippur
145.49
Staples – 15 book covers
30.15
Food: Rosh Hashana: honey, challah, pomegranates, apples, homemade gefilite fish, tomato sauce, kiwi, chicken, rice, soda, juices, sponge & honey cakes. Yom Kippur: Lox, cream cheese, bagels, desserts, vegetables, herring, juices, turkey & tuna tor kids & preggy moms. Other expenses: Table cloths, paper plates, napkins, forks, knifes, spoons, cups, trays
433.10
Shauna Milligan – Day Care
72.00
Paper & Postage for letters, newsletters
25.00
TOTAL EXPENSES:
844.37
NET (LOSS)
324.37
Next Year
If we decide to use the same machzors, we will save $314.42. If we have more than 15 people next year, then we have to make more copies and purchase more book covers.
