Rosh Hashanah begins this evening and I am feeling a sense of anticipation for this week of Jewish Holy Days. We are hosting the Rabbi and his family, as well as the assistant Rabbi/Cantor for dinner this evening before services. We were very honored to be asked to provide this meal, and my children are excited because they are friends with the Rabbi's children.
Rosh Hashanah brings me a sense of renewal at this harvest time. It also begins a week or so of personal review and soul searching, which culminates on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. The shofar, a ram's horn, is blown on Rosh Hashanah to symbolically "awaken" Jews from their complacent sleep to prepare for the judgement to come. The work of the Jew during these "Days of Awe" is to review one's behavior and to seek forgiveness for wrongs committed against God and against other people. On Yom Kippur, the goal is to be written in the Book of Life for another year.
My daughter borrowed one of the shofars from the synagogue last week. We have been listening to her blow it randomly all week. Sometimes it sounds pretty good. Sometimes it sounds like a sick cow, or worse. I'm hoping she will work up the will to blow it during services, if not this year, maybe next.
I added wings to my red bird, and made another bird in shades of brown. I am enjoying these little creatures, and I am so satisfied that they stand so well on those wire legs. Previous attempts at making bird legs did not go so well. I learn again that I have to make something a number of times to "figure out" how to truly make it.