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nTodaynis the Jewish New Year and the first of the High Holy Days—ten daysnleading up to and including Yom Kippur, which is the Day ofnAtonement. (“Atonement” means making amends for wrongs done innthe past.)
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nLikenother holidays, Rosh Hashanah starts at sundown and continues untilnsundown tomorrow.
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Thisnis a happy holiday, marked by the blowing of a horn called shofarnand eating sweet foods such asnhoney and apples, to bring a sweet new year. However, there is ansolemn side, too, since the High Holy Days are a time of repentance,nfeeling sorry for any wrongdoing from the previous year. Thisntime of year is marked by fasting, prayer, and services at the synagogue.
Thisnis a happy holiday, marked by the blowing of a horn called shofarnand eating sweet foods such asnhoney and apples, to bring a sweet new year. However, there is ansolemn side, too, since the High Holy Days are a time of repentance,nfeeling sorry for any wrongdoing from the previous year. Thisntime of year is marked by fasting, prayer, and services at the synagogue.n
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nAlsonon this date:
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nDaynof Czech Statehood – Czech Republic
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| Prague is the beautiful capital of the Czech Republic. |
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nThenCzech state, which is in the middle of Europe, used to be called Bohemia. At times it was a part ofnthe Great Moravian Empire, the Austro-Hungarian empire, andnCzechoslovakia. After World War II, it was a communist-ruled state,nbut on January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia was peacefully dissolved intonthe two current nations: the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. n
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nSo,nwhy celebrate statehood on September 28?
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nWell,nin the Czech Republic, this is Saint Wenceslas Day. A long time ago,non this day in 935, Wenceslas, the Duke of Bohemia and “Good KingnWenceslas” of Christmas carol fame, was murdered by his brother.nWenceslas became the “patron saint” of the Czechs.
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nWhatndoes “bohemian” mean? n
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nAnperson might be called a bohemian if he or she lives annunconventional life, perhaps moving about frequently, with few tiesnto family, job, or community, and usually involved with the arts. Thenterm began in the 1800s, in France, to describe “gypsies” andnother Romani people who came to France through Bohemia.
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nSometimesnvagabonds, wanderers, and adventurers are called bohemians. Artists,nactors, musicians, and writers who have little money and who havenanti-establishment viewpoints are often referred to as bohemians. A certain gypsy style of fashion is sometimes referred to as bohemian….
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nBut I personally have never heard someone referred to as Bohemian because he or shencame from the Czech Republic! n
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