The Ten Days of Awe

 

We celebrated Rosh Hashanah at the synagogue on Friday evening with greetings of "Shanah Tovah", lots of apples and honey, and shofar blowing! Thus, we began the new year 5784 and the Days of Awe (or Ten Days of Repentance) in preparation for Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).  We enjoyed a meal together and then held our traditional service.    

 

A round, sweet challah is a tradition on Rosh Hashanah

!

 

The blowing of the shofar is an urgent call to awaken from spiritual slumber .  It's a special time for self-examination, repentance, and asking for forgiveness from God and others.  It's a time to prepare for 5784 - the new year ahead.  The shofar has a beautiful sound.  I want you to hear it, so here is a link for you to hear and understand the blowing of the shofar: 

https://youtu.be/grZDPCKORGg?si=W6y1BnQ4DW8hcCLg

“Blow the shofar in Tziyon!
Sound an alarm on my holy mountain!”
Let all living in the land tremble,
for the Day of Adonai is coming! It’s upon us! 

Joel 2:1 CJB 

 

 

 Entering into the Hebrew year 5784, we pray for God to reveal any sins we have allowed to creep in to our lives.  We also examine ourselves to see if we have any resentments against others or if we have hurt anyone.  If so, we do our best to make peace with them. This is not always easy to do.  If we are afraid to approach someone, we ask Him to make us willing to take the action needed to make peace.  If unable to meet in person, a phone call or a letter can be used.  It's a humbling experience to admit wrong, but it's also healing.  The important thing is to JUST DO IT ! 

 

These ten days are an opportunity be still, to truly seek God, and to allow Him to move in us so we will be blessed and useful for His kingdom in the year ahead.  

 

Seek Adonai while he is available,
call on him while he is still nearby.

Isaiah 55:6 CJB

 

Shavuah Tov, Gail-Friends!  

 May your 5784 be as sweet as apples and honey.

L'Shana Tovah 5781

 

 Greetings, Gail-Friends, and Happy New Year!  Where did 5780 go???  

We celebrated Rosh Hashanah yesterday at the synagogue with reflection, contemplation, prayer, and praise.  Oh, yes, and lots of shofar blasts and good food!  

Here are a few photos:

Rabbi Jem did the 100 shofar blasts, and this young man, eight-year-old Abram, joined in.  He is quite the shofar player.  His six-year-old sister can blow it, too, but she was a bit shy about it yesterday.  Abram likes to sit in the front row, and amazes us all with his knowledge of the Bible.  Rabbi asks questions about the parsha, and Abram often pipes up with the correct answer.

His father, Aaron, carried the Torah.  It was his first time to receive this honor, and he was deeply moved.  He also made the beautiful round challah above.

 

After the service, we had food, of course. Lots of it!

These two little girls wanted sit next to Rabbi Jem.

I told you we had lots of food!

We were so blessed to have this service in the midst of the pandemic.  This was our first feast day since Purim and it was good to spend time and eat with one another.  We're still providing plenty of hand sanitizer, masks if someone wants one, and taking cleaning precautions.  We are blessed that no one in our congregation has come down with the virus.  We'll all be glad when this virus is OVER. 

We're looking forward to Yom Kippur.  

Blessings to you all, dear Gail-Friends. 
 

Sabbath Music - Enter His Gates

Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah!  We're blessed this weekend to celebrate both the Sabbath AND Rosh Hashanah.  We'll be blowing the shofar and eating sweet things like apples, honey, and pomegranites.  You can learn more about this wonder-full holiday HERE through some of my past posts.

Here's your song for the Sabbath and it's a good one for Rosh Hashanah, too:  Enter His Courts by LAMB.  It's a real toe-tapper, Gail-Friends, so get up and worship Him with a DANCE!! 

Thankful Thursday - Apple Roses Recipe

 As promised, I'm sharing my Apple Rose recipe that I made for Rosh Hashanah.  I saw this recipe on a video on Facebook and thought they were so pretty.  I think they turned out really well . . . but they were labor intensive to make.   The video made it look so easy, but it was not.

The first step was to cook the apples with some lemon juice and water.  Then they had to be drained and cooled.

The puff pastry needed to stay in the refrigerator until time to fill it, which is a very important point that I found out later. The counter was sprinkled with flour before I placed the pastry.

The next step was to put some apricot preserves down the middle of the pastry strip and sprinkle them with cinnamon.  Then I placed the apples, overlapping them slightly.

The next step was to pull the pastry up over the apple slice half-way, being careful that the red skin showed above the edge.  Then, beginning at the end of the strip I rolled it up, to make the rose shape.  It was a bit difficult but got easier as I worked with it.

When I'd made six of the roses, I realized that I had made them too thick.  Plus, the recipe was supposed to make a dozen roses. What I didn't understand from the video or the recipe, was that the pastry strip needed to be cut in narrower strips, long ways. When taken out of the package, the pastry strips are about four inches wide. You can see in the photo above that the strips are not to be very wide - only about two inches. (This is the photo of the second batch I made.)

So, I unrolled the six roses, cut the strips more narrow, and then re-did them.  By now, the pastry was room temperature and soft, making it difficult to work with. (sad face)

After I made them, and while they were in the oven, I had to make little tin-foil tents for each rose so they wouldn't burn.   These were added half-way through the baking time.

Aren't they pretty?

I made two batches (twenty-four total), and since I had the hang of it, the process went much faster with the second dozen.  I started these roses at about 11 a.m., and by the time I finished, it was 3 pm.  I'm sure it will go faster the next time I make them.

These are not sweet at all since the only sugar is in the preserves.  I had honey in a dish next to the platter so that they could be drizzled with more sweetness if wanted.

I think it was a perfect dish for Rosh Hashanah, and everybody liked them.  Jem and I had a couple of leftovers for breakfast the next morning, and I warmed them in the microwave.  So good with a cup of coffee.  Gail-Friends, I wish you could come over to Golden Cottage and share one with me because I'm really thankful for those who read my blog each week.   

I'm busy with preparations for Sukkot as I write this post, and am looking forward to that celebration.  We're combining a family birthday party with building the sukkah and that should be lots of fun. We're also having our synagogue celebration with Erev Shabbat this Friday night. I'll tell you all about it next week.

Here's the recipe and it includes the video, too:
 http://www.recipe30.com/apple-pastry-roses.html/

I hope your roses turn out as good as mine.

~~~

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:
  Spiritual Sundays  GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays

 Hearth and Soul Link Party
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTY     Share Your Cup Wednesday  Wordless Wednesdays    Classical Homemaking Link-Up     
    Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday 
Sunday Thoughts Link-Up
 OVER THE MOON LINKY PARTY!

The High Holy Days

Greetings and blessings to you, Gail-Friends.  I hope your celebration of Rosh Hashanah was sweet.  Here are a few photos from our service:

Lots of shofar blowing (100 notes, plus many more as we rejoicedat the end of  the service!)  And, of course, we had food -- lots of glorious apple creations for a sweet year ahead.  (See below for information about my Apple Roses, as promised.)

And then came the ten days of awe. . . a time of introspection and soul-searching leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.  During this time, we spend time with Hashem and His Word, asking Him to reveal any sins and we attempt to mend any broken relationships.  This year was a tender, somber time, more so than years past.  The last song was the Kol Nidre, and while it played people went to each other and made things right.  It was an amazing evening together.

I love the High Holy Days because we take the time to be still and listen to Hashem more so than the other Holidays.  How blessed we are to observe and celebrate these set-apart days, His Feasts and Festivals.  They are gifts and reminders to us of His presence and goodness in our lives.  As a  believer, I observed Christmas and Easter.  Now, as a Messianic Jew, I love being blessed with a holiday every couple of months in the year:  Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot (the Fall Feasts), then we have Hanukkah, and on to Purim, Passover and Shavuot (the Spring Feasts).  All of these draw us closer to Hashem and are types of our Messiah, Yeshua.   And lest we forget, we have our weekly feast -- Shabbat, our blessed day of rest.  Hashem is so good to us.

Here's a photo of the apple roses I made for Rosh Hashanah.  I think they turned out very nicely.

I will share the recipe (and the adventure) next week**.  I just don't have time right now, since today is Preparation Day, plus Sukkot begins on Monday at sundown.  Lots to do, dear Gail-Friends!!!

Shalom and love to you all from me - and from one of the sweet little ones in our congregation.

** To learn more about the Feasts and Festivals, click on this LINK
For the Apple Roses Recipe, click HERE

~~~

I sometimes share my posts with these friends:
  Spiritual Sundays  GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays

 Hearth and Soul Link Party
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTY     Share Your Cup Wednesday  Wordless Wednesdays    Classical Homemaking Link-Up     
    Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday 
Sunday Thoughts Link-Up
 OVER THE MOON LINKY PARTY!

Sabbath Music - BaShana HaBa'ah

 

Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah to you, Gail-Friends.  I'm giving you holiday greetings early because the High Holy Days begin at sundown on Sunday, September 9.   What a blessing -- the Sabbath, followed by Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets -- a double blessing!
 
Rosh Hashanah is also the first day of the year - so Happy New Year - or Shanah Tovah to you.  We'll be blowing the shofar, dancing, singing, and eating the traditional foods - apples and honey during our celebration this Sunday.  These foods represent our prayers and desires for a good, sweet year ahead.   I'm planning on making apple roses.  I'll post all about it when I return.  Here's a traditional song for Rosh Hashanah that tells of the belief that the new year will be a good one.  And I hope you dance, Gail-Friends :  BaShana HaBa'ah

photo courtesy of MiYah Music - used by permission

Rosh Hashanah is the first holy day, which begins this Sunday.  This begins the ten days of awe leading up to Yom Kippur.  During those ten days, we seek Adonai's face to see if any sins have crept into our lives.  Sad to say, it happens, so this is a needed discipline in all of our lives.


If you are not familiar with the High Holy Days, you can learn all about Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot at this LINK.   You'll find my past posts related to these holidays.

Because this is a holy time of introspection, I will not post again until after Yom Kippur. I will be back on Thursday, September 20.  At that time, I will post about our Rosh Hashanah celebration, and also about our Yom Kippur service.  

I will pray for you, dear Gail-Friends, while I am away, and please pray for me.  Until then, I say L'Shanah Tovah B'Yeshua (Happy New Year in Yeshua).  And may the year 5779 be a sweet one for you.

Thankful Thursday - Shana Tova

Greetings, Gail-Friends!  And Shana Tovah - Happy Year.  

Today, I'm thankful for our congregation coming together on a Wednesday evening to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)

 

Here are a few photos from our Rosh Hashanah celebration last night.

                                                     There were 100 blasts of the shofar

It's not easy...takes lots of practice, believe me!  I rarely can make a sound.

We sang, worshipped, and remembered Hashem's commandment to observe this holy day.

Our 358 year-old Torah scroll was taken from the ark. We thanked G-d for preserving

 His Word  for our generation.

As the Torah is passing by, we keep our eyes on it.  We do not turn our backs on it.  It is a tangible lessons for how our lives are to be lived.

And then, of course, we ate apples and honey to symbolize our prayers for a blessed year ahead.

 Lots and lots of apple desserts....and always, our traditional gifelte fish!  Someone asked me what it tastes like.  I laughingly said, "Cat food."  Then added, "It's an acquired taste.  I didn't like it at first, but now I love it.  It's best (to me) with horseradish sauce.

I love this picture of Rabbi Jem, taken before the blessing of the bread and wine.

Rabbi and I wish you a blessed year ahead.  

You can learn more about Rosh Hashanah  and why we celebrate it by clicking on the subject on the right side bar of this blog.

********
I sometimes share my posts with these friends: 

Spiritual Sundays     GRAND Social      Modest Mom Monday Link-up      The Art of Homemaking Mondays
   BLOGGING GRANDMOTHERS LINK PARTYTitus 2 Tuesday       TITUS TUESDAYS @CORNERSTONE CONFESSIONS    Share Your Cup Wednesday Wordless Wednesdays    Classical Homemaking Link-Up        Favorite Things Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life  Paula's Weekend No Rules Blog Party Friendship Friday

Shanah Tovah - Happy 5777

Shanah Tovah - to you, Gail-Friends

Last evening, we held our Rosh Hoshanah service. To learn more about this Jewish holiday, read my previous post HERE.

So much was happening last night, that I forgot to take pictures until almost the end, so I only have a few to share with you.  Below is Rabbi Jem parading theTorah.

 During the Torah parade, we sang Ancient Words, 

remembering how precious His Word is to us.

 

 At the end of the service, everyone blows the shofar (if they have one).  I grabbed my phone camera, and was able to record just a snippet.  Our synagogue members, David and LaVonne, bought toy shofars for all of the children.  You can hear them on the video:

I hope you can hear this.  I have to laugh, because it sounds like roosters crowing.  Then I realized it is prophetic !  

They are saying, 

"WAKE UP ! ! !  It's time to obey ADONAI, and walk in His ways."   YES ! !  ! 

We enjoyed the beautiful, round and fruit-filled challah, made by one of our  members.

After the service, we had a wonderful time of food and fellowship, enjoying apples and honey. These are traditional foods for Rosh Hashanah and 

symbolize our prayers for a sweet new year.

Rosh Hashanah lasts for two days, and is followed by the ten days of awe.  During that time, we examine our lives in light of His commandments, and make right any relationships that are strained. We do this in preparation for the next holiday -- Yom Kippur. Since this is a time of introspection, I will not be posting until after October 11.  

Rabbi Jem and I pray you have a blessed holiday, and a sweet new year.

Shanah Tovah

******************

metimes share my posts  with  friends at: 

Spiritual Sundays      THE SUNDAY COMMUNITY – #GIVE ME GRACE @SEE SPEAK HEAR MAMA Kathy’s Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life     GRAND Social       The Beauty in His Grip Link-Up   

Modest Mom Monday Link-up         Growing Homemakers Link-Up        The Gathering Spot Link-Up 

MOTIVATION MONDAYS – @EMBRACINGHISWILL      SHARING HIS BEAUTY – @THEBEAUTYINHISGRIP

The Art of Homemaking Mondays
Monday of Many Blessings 

Titus 2 Tuesday     Share Your Stuff Tuesday    TITUS TUESDAYS @CORNERSTONE CONFESSIONS    

Wordless Wednesdays    Jennifer Dukes Lee Tell His Story  Teaching What Is Good Link-Up

Classical Homemaking Link-Up    Judith’s Wholehearted Wednesday     Raising Homemakers Wednesday     A Wise Woman Builds       Wake Up Wednesday     A Little R & R Wednesday     Wednesday's Prayer Girls & Link-Up Party Thought Provoking Thursdays at 3D Lessons 4Life     Thursday  Favorite Things 

 Home and Garden Thursday at Delightsome Life 

Friendship Friday