Judgment and atonement. Sin and forgiveness. These aspects of one's life come together during the Jewish High Holidays.
Rosh Hashana, the day of judgment, begins at sundown Wednesday. Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, follows at sundown Oct. 4.
Rosh Hashana also marks the Jewish new year, the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the beginning of mankind. At this time, Jews renew their individual relationships with God, according the website of the Chabad-Lubavitch Center.
Teshuvah (literally "returning") is the process by which Jews atone on Rosh Hashana and throughout the next Ten Days of Awe, the website reads. Jews are required to seek forgiveness from people they might have wronged during the past year -- before seeking forgiveness from God.
During the Rosh Hashana service, "We say our prayers and some are specific to the holidays," said Rabbi Rob Lennick, the new rabbi in residence with Congregation Etz Chaim in Bentonville. "We ask God for the ability to forgive (others) and ask his forgiveness of us."
"On this Judgment Day, God allocates everything that is going to happen in the next year, and people hope for health, wealth, happiness and so on," chabad.org reads.
The Jewish people follow several customs that appear indicative of a good year. First, they don't eat bitter or sour things, reported Beth Nodelman, a member of Temple Shalom in Fayetteville. Eating apples dipped in honey is a tradition on Rosh Hashana, illustrating for God the good and sweet year they hope to come.
Jews of all traditions attend a tashlich service at a body of water, Nodelman continued. Here, they pray for a good year and, using bread crumbs, symbolically cast their sins upon the water. God told the prophets: "I will cast your sins on the water."
"It's really neat because people of all different traditions, all over the world, are doing the same thing at the same time," Nodelman said.
The most recognized custom of Rosh Hashana might be the blowing of the shofar -- or ram's horn. Although customs vary according to various Jewish traditions, the ceremony includes specific tones and prayers.
"We blow the ram's horn as a wake-up call," Lennick said. "It calls us to do the work of repairing our relationships with others."
In the next days before Yom Kippur -- the Days of Awe -- people take time to recount their sins, take responsibility for their sins and ask forgiveness, Lennick said.
"And forgiveness completely happens when, the next time around, you don't make the same mistake," he said.
Rosh Hashana is a celebration, a happy day, but Yom Kippur is the holiest of days. Yom Kippur is the day of atonement, forgiveness.
"At Yom Kippur, a Jewish believer focuses on his personal relationship with God," Lennick said. "And at the same time, God is reaching out to you."
The tradition recalls the time just after mankind had come face to face with God on Mount Sinai, chabad.org explains. Moses came down from the hill with the 10 Commandments, only to find the people had built and worshiped a golden calf. After 120 days of pleading by the people and by Moses, God forgave the Jewish people.
"Once again, the Jews ask for atonement from new and old sins," chabad.org reads.
Lennick broke down the word "atonement" -- meaning to make amends -- to "at one ment," becoming more with God.
"Judaism is very much a religion of deeds, and deeds are equivalent with faith," Lennick explained. "A deed is anything you can do in the world to repair the world. We recognize the world is broken -- we see it everywhere.
"But God knows our inner recesses, our hearts and words," he continued. "We are called to help the fallen, the lonely, the hungry. You can do something to repair the environment, the community or a relationship.
"The Jews have a saying, it's like, 'If you save one life, it is as if you save the whole world.'"
To mark the day of atonement, Jews neither eat nor drink for 24 hours from sundown to sundown. Taking away the physical, allows focus on the spiritual, Lennick said.
The holidays mean a lot to Nodelman. "I love the spirituality of it all. The people are all together at the services," said Nodelman, who lives in Fayetteville away from family. Typically, families are together for meals and traditions such as dipping the apples in honey.
She also thrills at the beauty of the Kol Nidre, the opening prayer and song of the Yom Kippur observation.
Yom Kippur closes with Ne'ila -- when God seals the book of life, in which he records the names of every person who is destined for the world to come, Lennick explained.
"The prayers of the Ne'iah ask God to show patience with the people," Lennick said. "They ask God to keep the gates of heaven open just a little bit longer.
"And God said, 'I am patient and loving and true, and I am ready to forgive.'"
Here is a schedule of services for various Jewish communities in Northwest Arkansas.
Congregation Etz Chaim
The congregation meets at the WaterWay campus of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Bentonville, 4074 S.W. H St., unless otherwise noted.
Rosh Hashana
• Erev Rosh Hashana, 7 p.m. Wednesday.
• Rosh Hashana, 10 a.m. Thursday.
• Family service, 2 p.m. Thursday.
• Tashlich, 3 p.m. Thursday, Lake Bentonville.
• Rosh Hashana II, study with the rabbi, 10 a.m. Friday.
Yom Kippur
• Kol Nidre, 7 p.m. Oct. 3.
• Yom Kippur morning service, 10 a.m. Oct. 4.
• Family service, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 4.
• Ne'ila closing service, 7 p.m. Oct. 4.
• Break fast, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4.
Information: [email protected].
Temple Shalom
Temple Shalom of Northwest Arkansas is located at 699 N. Sang Ave., in Fayetteville.
• Erev Rosh Hashana, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
• Rosh Hashana, 10 a.m. Thursday.
• Potluck, Noon Thursday.
• Tashlich and children's service, 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
• Rosh Hashana II, 8:30 a.m. Friday.
Yom Kippur
• Erev Yom Kippur, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3.
• Yom Kippur, 10 a.m. Oct. 4.
• Children's service, 1 p.m. Oct. 4.
• Yom Kippur, 4 p.m. Oct. 4.
• Break the fast, 7:15 p.m. Oct. 4.
Information: 973-2702, templeshalomnwa.org.
Berit Olam Fellowship
Berit Olam Messianic Fellowship meets at 903 W. Johnson Ave. in Springdale.
• Buffet meal, 6 to 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.
• "The Feasts of Trumpets and God's Timetable," a teaching, 6:45-7:45 p.m. Wednesday.
Information: 365-3641.
NAN Religion on 09/20/2014