christine~ (eppylover) wrote,
christine~
eppylover

Today is Yom Kippur, until sundown.

Gemar Chatimah tovah to you today!

I realize (from my usual webby research) that the majority of Jewish people, including rabbis, use the greeting "good yontif" (happy holiday) on Yom Kippur ~ but actually it's not really the thing to say on such a solemn occasion. ( YOM KIPPUR GREETING )

Yom Kippur is observed eight days after Rosh Hashanah (The Jewish New Year). It is believed that on Rosh Hashana G-d inscribes all of our names in the "books", and on Yom Kippur the judgment entered in these books is sealed. ("Gemar Chatimah tovah" means "May you finally be sealed [in the Book of Life] for good") The days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur are called the Days of Awe. Yom Kippur is, essentially, our last chance to demonstrate repentance and change God's judgment. On Yom Kippur, our fate for the coming year is sealed.

The day of the year ~
I know I explained this before, but for us goyim whose heads are hopelessly stuck in our own "superior" type of calendar (gregorian), the Jewish holidays fall on different gregorian dates each year ~ sometimes as much as a month apart from year to year.

This year, Yom Kippur is observed today, but ...
in 1934, Yom Kippur happened to fall on the day Brian Epstein was born: Wednesday, September 19.

Here is an excellent detailed description of Yom Kippur. Definitely not for the reading-impaired nor for those with an attention deficit!

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

The Particulars:
According to www.ou.org

Event Date: 2 October 2006 (10 Tishrei)
Yom Kippur
The Day of Atonement - Fast day, beginning prior to sunset on the previous day. Day-long synagogue services, with many special prayers, including Kol Nidre, N'eela, and Memorial (Yizkor) services.

Work Restrictions: All Sabbath-like work restrictions, with no exceptions for cooking etc. as on Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret, Simchat Torah, Passover and Shavuot, where exceptions are made for food preparation and carrying.

In addition, there are special restrictions against washing, applying oils, etc. to oneself, marital relations and wearing leather shoes.

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Now for some just a little less boring YK stuffs

An absorbing article, on Chicago Jewish Community Online, describing a lifetime view by the author of Yom Kippur vis á vis guilt ~ Remaking Yourself

==>> I find the following even more interesting!

On the exact same day, same year that ♥ Brian ♥ was born,

Wednesday, September 19,
In the year 1934
Brian Epstein's date of birth according to the Jewish calendar, in Hebrew characters
Tishrei 10, 5695

Detroit Tiger Hank Greenberg, "Hammerin' Hank"
refused to play in the American League pennant race.

There was a little poem written in his honor:
Came Yom Kippur -- holy fast day world wide over to the Jew,
And Hank Greenberg to his teaching and the old tradition true
Spent the day among his people and he didn't come to play.
Said Murphy to Mulrooney, 'We shall lose the game today!
We shall miss him on the infield and shall miss him at the bat
But he's true to his religion -- and I honor him for that!
And a funny little story:
Greenberg didn't play on Yom Kippur. The Tigers had all but clinched the pennant by then.

When Greenberg arrived at synagogue that day, the service stopped, and the congregants gave him a rousing round of applause.

"The only way I would even think that I might have been a hero in those days was the day I walked in Shaarey Zedek Temple and got a standing ovation because I showed up in temple on Yom Kippur," Greenberg said in 1984.

"The poor rabbi standing on the podium 'davening,' praying, and suddenly I walk in and everybody in the congregation gets up and applauds. The poor rabbi looks around; he doesn't know what is happening. And I'm embarrassed as can be, because it was all totally unexpected."

===

1964, October 2 - `A Cellarful Of Noise' is published in Britain.

===

Now, for those who have stuck through all the above (and you cowards who just scrolled down here, heh), I've uploaded a very, very rare recording of Al Jolson singing Kol Nidre, recorded in the 1920's.
http://download.yousendit.com/466A51977D315517

If you don't know who Al Jolson "The Jazz Singer" was, it's about time you did, fer Pete's sake!!!
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