Happy Kislev

We looked at the planned gatherings for 5775 and beyond … and massaged the calendar a bit. The latest version is here … please add the dates to your calendar and plan to attend. Also, please let us know if you are available for day-time gatherings during the week … and which days are best for you. It could be that we’d switch some events from evening to late morning/early afternoon.

Along with singing our ritual songs, we learned about the month of Kislev:

Kislev is the ninth of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar.

Kislev comes at the same time as the secular months of November/December. This is a cold and dark time of year. Nature rests, and winter is upon us.

The mazal (constellation) for Kislev is Sagittarius, the keshet (arching bow).

The arching bow reminds us of the rainbow and of our responsibility to be guardians of the earth. In Genesis 9:12-17, God places a rainbow in the sky as a covenantal sign, indicating a promise never to destroy the earth again. (The blessing for seeing a rainbow: Baruch ata Ado-nai Elo-heinu melech ha’olam zocher ha’brit v’ne’eman bivrito v’kayam b’ma’amaro. Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to His covenant, and keeps His promise.) The bow of Kislev reminds us of the bows of the Maccabees who fought against the Selucids in the story of Chanukah.