Local Jewish community celebrates their new year
By: Stephanie Brown
MONROE In a modern world wrought with hostility and violence, leaders of local Jewish groups say the observance of Rosh Hashana is truly an opportunity to start anew on both a personal and global level.
Rosh Hashana, the first day of the Jewish new year 5767, begins a 10-day period of prayer and repentance that culminates with Yom Kippur.
The High Holy Days, which begin at sundown tonight (Friday), provide a time to cast off sins and practice repentance teshuvah, which means to return to God, said Cantor Eli Perlman of the Jewish Congregation of Concordia.
"It’s a very interesting notion a sin in the Jewish world is not necessarily something you do on purpose," he said. "We’re trying to do the right thing, but it’s almost like we missed the mark. To teshuvah means ‘Let’s worry about how to get back to that mark and ask God for forgiveness for missing that mark,’" Cantor Perlman said.
Rabbi Eliezer Zaklikovsky of the Chabad Jewish Center of Monroe said self-improvement is just the beginning.
"It starts with the self improving our personal life and living a more spiritual life and from there moves onto a more global perspective," he said. "One good deed can tip the scale and bring so much needed peace and kindness and redemption in the world."
The High Holy Days bring forth a hope for peace, which religious leaders say is especially needed after this past summer’s war between Israel and Lebanon, and the continuing conflict in the Middle East.
"I think the one thing we always look forward to is peace," said Rabbi Ben Levy of Etz Chaim Monroe Township Jewish Center. "If the parties involved would only give peace a chance instead of letting war always find a way."
Rabbi Levy said it is difficult in today’s world to forget that a kernel of God is not only in oneself, but also in everyone.
"The danger that occurs when locking heads with another country is that we tend to dehumanize each other, which legitimizes what we’re doing," Rabbi Levy said. "Every human being is created in God’s image, and we have to find ways to adjust our differences."
The ram’s horn, a wind instrument called the shofar, will be sounded during the High Holy Day services to symbolically act as a wake up call, said Rabbi Levy.
"It’s meant to arouse us deep within to do the work of self-improvement," he said. "It wakes us of our lethargy and tells us that it’s time to get our acts together."
Rabbi Zaklikovsky said the strongest message of the new year is that there is always a way back home to God.
"There is no such thing as too late or too far; there is always a point of return," Rabbi Zaklikovsky said.
The Chabad house will celebrate its fifth year of High Holiday services on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush; and on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. with a Shofar Blowing at 11:30 a.m. followed by Kiddush and a Family Tashlich waterfront service at 2 p.m. Services will be held at Monroe Township High School, 1629 Perrineville Road, in the gymnasium (entrance at left side of the school). For more information, call Rabbi Zaklikovsky at (732) 656-1616.
High Holiday service for Etz Chaim Monroe Township Jewish Center will begin tonight (Friday) at 7:30 p.m. Services will also be held Saturday at 9:30 a.m. followed by the children’s service at 1 p.m., and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Tashlich at the lake is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m.

