molly.com
Wednesday 15 September 2004
shana tova
SHANA TOVA MEANS “A good year.” This evening marks the Jewish New Year, “Rosh Hashana” and in the spirit of my heritage, I share my thoughts for all that this coming year will indeed be a good one.
The Jewish calendar is rather interesting. It is both lunar and solar, combining lunar months with an over-arching solar year. Traditionally, Rosh Hashana begins with the sounding of the Shofar, a ram’s horn. Rosh Hashana is also first in a series of the most important religious holidays, a period referred to as the “High Holy Days.”
While feasts and celebrations are certainly in order for Rosh Hashana, it is also a time for contemplation. We are encouraged as Jews to think deeply about our actions of the past year, to assess our virtues and our sins, to challenge ourselves to become better people in the next year, to revisit our spiritual purpose, and get our lives in order.
So welcome, 5765 ! And Shana Tova to all.
Filed under: faith(less)
Posted by: Molly | 6:49 am |
September 15th, 2004 at 7:09 am
Right back at ya!
Oh, and thanks for the information - 5765 already!
September 15th, 2004 at 7:17 am
Shana Tovah to you too!
The new year always sneaks up on me. I’m usually writing 5764 on my checks clear through Simchas Torah…
*bah da bing!*
September 15th, 2004 at 8:03 am
Shana Tovah!
One of my old Hebrew teachers sent me an email message with exactly that message today. It’s fun to see this same greeting again for the second time.
September 15th, 2004 at 8:04 am
L’shanah tovah tikatevi v’taihatemi! I hope your introspection brings insights that are useful.
September 15th, 2004 at 9:12 am
Happy 80th Birthday, Gandma!
Today, my grandmother Frederika Johanna Hendrika Riek den Hertog turns eighty. I made her this series of post stamps that features my mother (her only daughter), my uncle (the middle one of her three sons), and me, since she likes…
September 15th, 2004 at 11:44 am
Shana Tova!
September 15th, 2004 at 6:39 pm
As an Alabamian Methodist, let me just say, “Mazel tov, y’all!”
GFM <– “I have no idea what I just said.”
September 18th, 2004 at 5:12 am
Shana Tova
April 12th, 2005 at 12:45 am
Hi Molly,
Can you tell me what the Jewish word “Chetava” or “Cheteva” means?
Thanks…
April 26th, 2005 at 11:47 pm
Here is a weird, but interesting Blog site:
http://blogdayafternoon.com//articles/04/01/19/0824547/index.html
What do you think Molly?
July 19th, 2005 at 7:37 pm
Happy 80th Birthday, Grandma!
Today, my grandmother Frederika Johanna Hendrika Riek den Hertog turns eighty. I made her this series of post stamps that features my mother (her only daughter), my uncle (the middle one of her three sons), and me, since she likes…
October 1st, 2005 at 5:18 am
Shana Tova!!!!
(from Tel Aviv, Israel).
October 1st, 2005 at 11:38 am
Have a happy new jewish year to you all. Shana Tova…
(from, Be’er-Sheva, Israel)
October 3rd, 2005 at 12:01 am
shana tova to you all from
rosh haain israel
berosh ha shana berosh ha shana parha shoshana ezli bagina
happy new year!
October 3rd, 2005 at 10:08 pm
Several of my Jewish friends will be
visiting me on Fri. (Oct. 7th). I’d like
to be able to greet them verbally, but I
can’t find an authoritative source for the
pronunciations (accented syllables) for
“shana” & “tova”. Can U help? Thanx.
October 4th, 2005 at 5:39 am
I enjoied this site.
Shana tova for you.
I love hebrew people.
October 4th, 2005 at 1:16 pm
Shana Tova, i work at a jewish bakery in canada and work around the high holy days and busy. with all that round challah, and honey cake. and lots lots more man do you guys ever feast on holidays. well shana tova everyone have a great new year.
October 4th, 2005 at 1:19 pm
ed spires, there are mnay ways a say shana tova, everyone says it different in there own way. working at a jewish bakery i see many many different kids of jews and yestreday i must have gotten 3 different ways a sayign it. so do it the best way you can.
October 4th, 2005 at 1:48 pm
Shana Tova to everybody!
My name is Alex and I am a new person on the list. Can anyone advice me on what would be a good textbook and audio-course for the beginner-level to study yiddish? and a good book on jewish tradition and culture?
I would appreciate any comments.
October 5th, 2005 at 7:41 am
Shana tova
(from Bonn,Germany)
October 6th, 2005 at 1:26 pm
In answer to Ed’s question about pronouncing shana tova (i.e., where the emphasis goes), the emphasis in both words is on the last syllable.
shaNAH toVAH
Easy way to remember: Both words rhyme with the English expression “Aha!”
September 22nd, 2006 at 6:45 am
Synagogue tonight in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, a city that welcomed Jews from the Inquisition in the 15th century. They mostly left in 1948 for Israel; now only a few dozen are left. Tonight also begins Ramadan in this Islamic city. There has always been peace between Jews and Muslims here. May it be a good example for the world. Shana tova.
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:07 pm
For a Jew who sometimes feels disconnected from his faith….. What kind of coincidence was it that I read my good friend’s Shana Tova email greeting, (the only one I received). I then Googled Shana Tova, then find this site, then see ” another Alvin” as the last person to post. I live in South Orange County, California. I was born in 1948, and it was encouraging to read in my fellow Alvin’s message that somewhere in this world, Sarajevo, people of seemingly different beliefs can find an avenue to live together, without the issues that so much of the rest of the world suffers. Sometimes I feel so far from my faith, but I never forget. I sincerely wish peace to all of you during these high holy days.
September 23rd, 2006 at 8:33 am
[…] While feasts and celebrations are certainly in order for Rosh Hashana, it is also a time for contemplation. We are encouraged as Jews to think deeply about our actions of the past year, to assess our virtues and our sins, to challenge ourselves to become better people in the next year, to revisit our spiritual purpose, and get our lives in order. (credits:http://www.molly.com/2004/09/15/shana-tova/) […]
September 25th, 2006 at 1:16 pm
Hi Molly.
Was looking for the correct spelling of Shana Tova and did a quick google in order to find out. Your website was “invoked” right at the top of the 437,000 hits, so I fired on it and thought that I would respond to you.
First of all a belated Shana Tova to you although I guess it is still appropiate to wish one a happy (and healthy) New Year through Yom Kippur.
I also read your info about the Jewish New Year holiday and wanted to point out one other piece of relevant info concerning the holiday, especially when it falls on the Jewish Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday). This year Rosh Hashanah began on Friday evening and consequently the shofar was not blown on the first evening and first day (Saturday) of the holiday. However, since the holiday is also celebrated on Sunday (for conservative and orthodox Jews), the shofar was blown (for the first time) on the second day of the holiday, namely on Sunday.
I just thought I would point that out to you as well as the fact that each year the start of the holiday falls on a different day.
Again, Shana Tova.
Mike Cowan
October 2nd, 2006 at 1:46 pm
shana tova
to you too…
It is Monday and I am off to temple… with Rabbi Lerner in SF.
Felix
October 24th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Hi Molly
I have received an email wishing me Shana Tova and didn’t have a clue what it was about, soooo, googled and found your site. Thank you for your description. At first thought it was an old site as entries started at 2004 which seems to be the Jewish Year 5765. So now I suppose it is 5767.
A belated Shana Tova to you Molly, hope all goes well with you.
November 28th, 2006 at 1:07 pm
HELLO EVERY1
WAN’ A GUD WEB THEN GO TO WWW.FREEWEBS.COM/THEONEALEXDUDE
THE BEST
November 28th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
CLICK BELOW
WWW.FREEWEBS.COM/THEONEALEXDUDE
August 31st, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Hi, Molly,
I liked the way you encapsulated the season & holiday so mch, I posted an excerpt here:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4353830277.
Be well, and Shana Tova to you, to!
September 17th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Shana Tova to all from Riga,Latvia!!!
March 30th, 2008 at 9:36 am
thanks
April 9th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
what do you want to learn about css? we can help easily
May 1st, 2008 at 8:09 am
it is easy to find it on google
September 24th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
We wish you all, Shana Tova & Well Over the Fast
from Dalia & family in Sydney, Australia.