Rabbi's Message - January 2012

Rabbi Stuart Federow
rabbistuart@hotmail.com

This year, Wednesday, February 8th, 2012, is T'U B'Shvat, the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shvat, the Jewish birthday for trees. Now, you might be wondering why I am writing about a February holiday for the Shofar of January, and why I am writing this in December, just a few weeks before the New Year of the secular calendar? The reason is because although everyone thinks about the secular New Year of December 31st - January 1st, and we Jews think about the New Year of Rosh Hashana as well, there really are more 'new years' in the secular calendar than we realize. So, for example, there is the beginning of school in August, which is the New Year for school. There is the 'new year' for every sport, as the season for them comes along through the year. So, it should not surprise us that Judaism also has more than one New Year.

T'U B'Shvat is the New Year for trees. A Happy Holiday, one that has reminded the Jews of our obligation to take care of the Environment for millenia, it was also a necessity to be able to mark the birthday or the New Year for trees. This necessity stems (no pun intended) from the Biblical command that a tree's fruit is not to be eaten for the first three years, in Leviticus 19:23, and in the next verse we are commanded to give the fruit of the fourth year to the Temple. Only then, in the fifth year, was the fruit to be eaten.

But how can one know the birthday of a tree? One cannot, so T'U B'Shvat is the day where fruit ripening before it are the fruit of one year, but the fruit that ripens after T'U B'Shvat is considered the fruit of the next year. T'U B'Shvat is the birthday, the line that separates one year of a tree from the next.

So, happy T'U B'Shvat! On February 8th, 2012, plant a tree! Or, if you cannot plant a tree, then at least go hug one! Okay, maybe that is taking T'U B'Shvat a little far, but at least take a few moments to appreciate trees and all they do for us!

Membership News

CSH is very happy to welcome Andy & Brandie Kessler to our congregation family. Their children, Samara. Jakxson, and Ruth have been enrolled in our school and seem to fit in quite well.

We also had a wonderful turnout of about 100 of our family members for the Sisterhood Chanukah Family Social. One lucky person went home with a Chanukah cookie basket filled with delicious cookies donated by Bertha Woinsky. The raffle ticket money collected was donated to the Religious school. With the candle blessings done by all who brought their menorahs and the Chanukah singalong, everyone had a fabulous evening. The chairperson, Kari Sokolow, also had an arts & crafts activity table for all the children. A special thank you to Lori Pizzuti, Helene Ringer, Nurit Mittlefehldt, Cathy Leonard and Risa for all the help with food & clean up.

Also, many thanks to everyone who shared in preparations, cooking & baking for all of us to enjoy. This wonderful Thursday evening program was followed the next night by our Friday night Musical Chanukah Shabbat. We loved singing along with our service as well as the Chanukah songs and the special musical expertise of Lori Laird and Craig Schweitzer.

Now, plan to join us in the fun and hard work for another special event:

'The Biggest Loser Contest'. Begin the New Year as we all get fit and in shape with the support of our CSH friends. Plans are in the works; watch for more details.