L’shanah tovah!

Did you know that Rosh Hashanah, along with Yom Kippur, of course, is one of the oldest continuously celebrated holidays in the world? It got its start in Leviticus:

23:23 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
23:24 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first [day] of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
23:25 Ye shall do no servile work [in it]; but ye shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.

Leviticus itself dates back about 3,500 years ago. On the Jewish calendar, which is a lunar, not a solar calendar, it has an even longer time line, since we inaugurate this night Jewish Year 5768.

To all my friends, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, L’shanah tovah. May this be a happy year, one of hope, renewal, safety, and good things for those people, places, and ideas we value.