Rosh Hashana Begins Wednesday

BONIRA SPRINGS, FL — Rabbi Mendy Greenberg has a lot to celebrate this week for Rosh Hashana.

Last year, the Chabad Jewish Center of Bonita Springs that he oversees celebrated the Jewish New Year in rented hotel space. This year, the services are to be in a more permanent location, 2,000 square feet of rented space in the Bernwood business center, 24850 Old 41 Road Unit 20, where services have been held this year.

“It is going to be different because we finally have a place we can call home,” he said.

Bonita’s only synagogue has a growing congregation of more than 250, and still is working toward a goal of raising enough money to build its own place in a couple of years.

It’s not the only Southwest Florida synagogue with a new home for Rosh Hashana. The Chabad Jewish Center of Naples is in its new location on Seagate Drive.

At the Bonita Chabad, Greenberg and his wife started services out of their home three years ago.

“We’ve accomplished a lot in the short three years since we’ve opened,” he said. “Looking back, I take a lot of pride. The coming year is going to be drastically better. We are going to be doing a lot more programs.”

The Chabad of Bonita Springs is among several area synagogues that are planning services over the Rosh Hashana period that begins at sundown Wednesday.

In Hebrew, Rosh Hashana means, literally, “head of the year” or “first of the year.” Rosh Hashana is commonly known as the Jewish New Year ““ a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year.

Evening High Holiday services at the Chabad Jewish Center of Bonita Springs are scheduled for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., which includes a dinner. On Thursday and Friday, there are 10:30 a.m. services.

Shofar sounding is scheduled at 11 a.m. on Thursday and Friday, and will occur throughout the day as visitors drop by the synagogue. The shofar is a ram’s horn that is blown somewhat like a trumpet.

”It is important for someone who can’t make services to at least listen to the shofar being blown,“ Greenberg said. ”It is a very simple sound.

“It’s an expression coming from the heart. It’s sort of a wake-up call as well, like an alarm clock awakening the soul.”

Greenberg said Rosh Hashana is a time to focus on positive thoughts for the coming year.

“We can create a positive year by being positive,” he said. “On Rosh Hashanah, we have the ability to affect the coming year, both materially, physically, and spiritually.”

Rosh Hashana is definitely one of the most important days of the Jewish faith, he said.

“It is the anniversary of the creation of mankind. That is when Adam was created,” Greenberg said. “It’s the beginning of creation, and every year the world re-creates itself in the same way God is re-creating the world.”

Greenberg said the synagogue doors during this High Holy Days are open to everyone.

“There is always something there for everybody,” he said.

Likewise at the Chabad Jewish Center of Naples, synagogue membership is not required to join in on the services. The Chabad in Naples is holding its fourth year of services.

“We want to receive blessings from on high, to come together as a community to unite as a special day,” Rabbi Fishel Zaklos said. “We welcome everyone. Every member of the community is integral, therefore, we welcome everyone.

”There is going to be Hebrew and English and running commentary during the prayers. We’re going to have a cantor joining us at the service,“ Zaklos said.

A youth service will be held simultaneously with adult services.

”So the parents can enjoy services while children are having a great time and learning a lot about the holidays,“ he said.

Zaklos said Rosh Hashana is a time of new beginnings.

”Rosh Hashana is where we once again tell God, ‘we want to coronate you.’ We want to re-energize, rejuvenate. We want a new fresh start. We want the world to be created anew,“ he said.

Rosh Hashana services will be on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at various times at Chabad’s new location at 850 Seagate Drive, Unit D & E.

Temple Shalom, which has been offering services since 1962 in Naples, is expecting 600 to 700 people to attend Rosh Hashana services at its synagogue at 4630 Pine Ridge Road.

An Eve of Rosh Hashana service is scheduled for 8 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. services are scheduled on Thursday and Friday.

The Jewish High Holy Days are observed during the 10-day period between the first day of Rosh Hashana and the 10th day, Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement.

Jo Icaca, executive assistant at the temple, said this period is a time when people reflect on the past year and ponder what they are going to do to improve their lives and the world.

”It is an important time for the Jewish community,“ she said.

Beth Tikvah Conservative Synagogue on Airport-Pulling Road in Naples has a new rabbi for these High Holy days. Rabbi Chezi Zionce has arrived from Charleston, S.C.

He said he plans to read a torah at the Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. Rosh Hashana service. The torah has been passed down for hundreds of years in his family.

”It provides some special or additional sense of holiness to Rosh Hashana,“ he said.

The Jewish Congregation of Marco Island Inc. expects more than 100 to attend the Rosh Hashana services at 8 p.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. Thursday.

Jason Katz, who blows the shofar during the service, said Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and the days in between are the most important of the Hebrew calendar, a time for atonement.

”It’s a time of serious introspection to consider sins of the previous year and repent,” he said.