Essay on The Customs of Rosh Hashanah

The most important celebration that takes place on the Friday of the Sabbath is the Shabbat dinner. This takes place at home with family and friends. The Shabbat table is laid with two loaves, known as "hallot" which, like the candles, represent the dual Shabbat commandments to keep and remember Sabbath, and cups, over which Kiddush is recited. The father blesses the children in order of age, before Kiddush is recited over the wine, which "gladdens the heart" (Psalm 104:15).

When I visited my first Jewish synagogue, I expected it to be very different. My previous experience with religious ceremonies was limited to a few visits to Baptist churches. The most surprising thing for me at this one was, oddly enough, its similarity to Christian services and rituals. I went into the religious visit expecting an enormous difference in the customs and perhaps even in the attitudes of the people attending the service. What I found instead was a religious ceremony very reminiscent of the Christian ones I’ve been to before.

Other preparations of marriage include the bride immersing in a mikvah (ritual bath) to cleanse herself for her new life with her husband. Also both bride and groom fast on the day of their wedding. Both these practices highlight the significance of marriage as they are both practices used to mark an important holy event in Judaism, for example, Jewish people fast on “Yom Kippur” the most holy day of the Jewish year. Preparing in this way allows the man and woman to mentally prepare them

The aspects of an Amish funeral service are steeped in customs that vary largely from that of an English funeral. Though the ideals and customs of an English funeral service change with the new trends of the region. While the Amish funeral service has changed very little from the Amish deviation from the Quakers. In most branches of the Amish church, the rituals and traditions surrounding death are held in the highest regard. These sacred teachings are known to very few members of the church; generally, by the bishops, or by the Amish funeral director. The funeral, as seen from the English perspective, is a celebration of life or the mourning of a life; while, the funeral seen from an Amish perspective, is a celebration of the gift of God.

It’s a tradition on Rosh Hashanah, to eat a variety of random foods as symbols for the upcoming Jewish New Year.

The main tradition is to put altars in some homes including the cross, picture or sculpture of Virgin Mary, and photos of the deceased person(s). Members of family gather around the altar and they pray. In some newer traditions children put masks, wear costumes and go from house to house while people give them some candies or money. Some of the

Rosh Hashanah is referred to as the Jewish New Year, marking a 10 day period of self-condemnation. Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second day of the Tishri, the first month on the traditional Jewish calendar with the word Rosh Hashanah meaning ‘head of the year’ or ‘beginning of the year’. The Bible itself does not use the words Rosh Hashanah to expostulate the New Year, alternatively referring to it as Yom Ha-Zikkaron, meaning ‘day of remembrance’. This is shown in Leviticus 23:24-25, “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of Sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present a food offering to the Lord.” The religious practices that occur throughout this Jewish festival focus on the sovereignty of God. The Torah refers to Rosh Hashanah as a day of remembrance, to celebrate the creation

During Thanksgiving Break this year, I went to Flagstaff, Arizona. That was the best memory because I can’t choose one specific one! :) I had so much fun in Arizona, and this is what I did.

All around Louisiana, the people celebrate Mardi Gras in early spring. Urban cities such as New Orleans and Baton Rouge utilize fancy bright lighted parades, celebrity kings and queens, and shiny beads to celebrate the festivities. Growing up in south Louisiana, I attended many of these parades in the Big Easy. My grandparents would tell stories of rural Mardi Gras and the Cajun culture. After hearing their stories, I decided to attend the courir de Mardi Gras. The courir de Mardi Gras is a traditional Mardi Gras event held the Tuesday before the catholic lent season in small rural towns. This is known as Fat Tuesday run.

These rituals usually start as the sun rises. The tribe will start heading towards the shrine. When they reach it they will wait outside and start making food in honor off their god “Hawkeye”. They will also drink an elixir made out of barley, hops and yeast with water. The tribe believes this elixir brings the tribe closer together and allows the mind to talk their god more easily. They will continue to drink this elixir for hours until they have consumed enough to go to the shrine and start the religious ritual.

For a college student, there’s no feeling quite like the joy of heading home for Thanksgiving break (1-Archetypes). Sure, Christmas break is longer and definitely has more presents, but Thanksgiving break is at just the perfect time in the middle of the semester; right before the chaos of finals and right when the agony of missing home is starting to become unbearable. I definitely felt this way during my first semester away from home. The days leading up to the break were full of exciting jitters and anticipation. Finally, just a day before classes officially let out for the break, my mom and brother pulled up to my dorm after their nine-hour drive to Alpine, Texas, ready to pack me up and haul me back to Houston.

The Hindu service is performed by a male Brahmin priest (‘Pundit’), in accordance with the holy verses (‘mantras’) from the Vedas – the Hindu Holy Book. Often the ceremony can be conducted in Sanskrit which gets its roots from Hinduism and embraces a rich tradition of poetry as well as practical and philosophical texts.

Sweet foods like apple and honey are taken during this period. The main activities comprise the sounding of the Shofar, ram’s horn (Hexham, 89). The Jewish also utilize the period to mend broken relationships and apologies for the mistakes made during the period year. It is symbolized by the Ram’s horn, apple, and wine. The Rosh Hashana marks a period of repentance that leads to Yom Kippur (Olitzky et al. 137).

* Describe when the ritual takes place. Does it respond to some particular event? It is held at specific time of year? Is it held on a regular basis? Is it performed only when needed?

Jewish people celebrate Passover with a ritual dinner called Seder, which represents the meal that the Israelites ate before fleeing Egypt (Oxtoby 123). In a Passover Seder, the head of the family begins the ceremony by sanctifying the holiday with a Qiddush, or benediction, over a cup of wine (Tobias 88). While reciting a prayer, raw vegetables dipped in vinegar, a shank bone and a hard-boiled egg are presented to the family members. Then, a second cup of wine is poured and at this time, the Passover liturgy, or Haggadah, begins (Oxtoby 124). The