Kaua‘i’s Jewish residents and visitors ushered in a new year and kicked off the “High Holidays” with a pair of sundown Rosh Hashana services last night, commemorating the creation of the world as described in the Bible. “It’s our holiest
Kaua‘i’s Jewish residents and visitors ushered in a new year and kicked off the “High Holidays” with a pair of sundown Rosh Hashana services last night, commemorating the creation of the world as described in the Bible.
“It’s our holiest holiday and it’s a tradition that’s been ongoing for thousands of years. It’s an unbroken link to our history and a celebration of Judaism,” said Marty Kahn, president of the Jewish Community of Kaua‘i, which held services at Lihu‘e’s St. Michael and All Angels’ Episcopal Church.
The service was presided over by a guest rabbi, Moshe Raphael Halfon, and was described as liberal, casual, and “island-style.” Kahn joked that those arriving in suits and ties would be turned away.
“I’m not your mother’s rabbi, that’s for sure,” said Halfon, who is fluent in seven languages, plays guitar, is versed in Kabbalah, meditation, Reiki healing and yoga, and serves as the chaplain of a women’s prison in Chino, Calif. “I’m a liberal rabbi with a very traditional background. I say that I’ve danced at everybody’s wedding.”
Halfon said that his sermon last night would discuss faith and “trust that the universe will provide for our needs,” which he believes is especially topical with the current financial crises.
He also discussed the interplay between Jews and other religious groups, including native Hawaiians.
“In Hawai‘i, I think the Jews and Christians who ended up here from the Mainland … anybody that is truly spiritual, from all these traditions … has to feel the magic of this place, and the wisdom of the ancestors,” he said. “Judaism, to me now, is one path among many.”
Another local Jewish group, Chabad Kaua‘i, is hosting more “home-style” services at a rented Kapahi house, offering traditional prayer, communal meals and discussions of faith to those interested.
“Everywhere in the world where Jewish people are, we want to have a community, so we offer traditional Jewish learning and a traditional experience,” said Rabbi Michoel Goldman, director of Chabad Kaua‘i. “(We offer) a spiritual dimension and teachings based on Jewish mysticism. We think people on Kaua‘i are looking for something spiritual and something deeper.”
The Jewish Community of Kaua‘i celebration continues at the church today with a morning service from 10 a.m. until noon, followed by a traditional snack of apples and honey, signifying the hope for a sweet new year. At 12:45 p.m., according to a written statement, celebrants will conduct a “tashlich” ceremony in which the previous year’s sins are symbolically thrown into the ocean at the Nawiliwili pier.
The Hebrew calendar, now entering its 5,769th year, is based not on the revolution of the earth around the sun, but on the cycles of the moon.
Months vary between 29 and 30 days in length, and the calendar includes a leap month seven times every 19 years to keep the lunar calendar roughly aligned with the solar seasons.
Aside from marking a new year, Rosh Hashana also begins the 10-day time of judgment and reflection that culminates in Yom Kippur, the Jewish “day of atonement,” which, like other Jewish holidays, begins at sundown. Jewish Community of Kaua‘i services are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 8 and throughout the day on Oct. 9, also at the church.
“Saint Michael has been very gracious to us. They’ve allowed us to worship there for probably 12 years. We’re very indebted to them and their openness and willingness to have our service in their sanctuary,” Kahn said. “We think it’s a very holy place and we’re very appreciative and honored.”
Goldman and Chabad Kaua‘i will also continue to pray in Kapahi today, as well as on Yom Kippur and on Sukkot, a weeklong harvest celebration starting Oct. 13. He said the group’s doors would be open throughout the holidays for those who are looking for something different from the services at the church.
“I try not to use the word ‘orthodox.’ … We follow a more traditional approach to the Torah,” he said. “We (Chabad Kaua‘i and the Jewish Community of Kaua‘i) don’t exactly agree on the logistics of a lot of things. … We say we have differences and people can make a choice. In no way are we at war.”
For more information on the holidays, services and both organizations, visit www.jewishcommunityofkauai.org and www.jewishkauai.org
• Michael Levine, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or via e-mail at mlevine@kauaipubco.com
