The Jewish New Year Holiday of Rosh Hashana is on September 18-20

Rosh Hashana, or the Jewish New Year is a very important Jewish Holiday and next week it is celebrated starting at Sundown on Friday, September 18 thru Sunday, September 20, 2020. 

In Ventura and Santa Barbara County we have many Chabad and temple locations with services. Different this year because of COVID-19 services will be outdoors and limited to only 100 seats, so reservations are required. In addition some temples are offering viirtual services, some free and some paid.

Plus this year Chabad will be hosting Shofar in the Park on September 20 where they will travel to local parks in the community and blow the shofar for families.

Please note: The shofar is NOT sounded on the first day of Rosh Hashanah this year, as it falls on Shabbat. While we certainly encourage your participation on both days, if you only plan to come once, we urge you to choose Sunday, since you will then have the opportunity to hear the shofar.

OUTDOOR SERVICES

• Agoura and Oak Park - LA County
• Chabad of Simi Valley
• Chabad of Camarillo
• Chabad of Oxnard - Make a Reservation Here
• Chabad of Ventura
• Community Shul of Santa Barbara (No rsvp required)
• Temple Ner Simcha, Westlake
• Calabasas Shul - Register Here 

VIRTUAL SERVICES

• Congregation B'nai B'rith of Santa Barbara
• Stephen Wise Temple
• Temple Beth Torah, Ventura (Pre-registration and fee required) 
• Temple Etz Chaim, Thousand Oaks
• Temple Adat Elohim, Thousand Oaks
• Temple Ner Simcha, Westlake (Pre-registration and fee required) 
•  Congregation B'nai Emet, Simi Valley (Pre-registration and fee required)
• Congregation Or Ami, Calabasas - REGISTER HERE

SHOFAR IN THE PARK

2nd Day of Rosh Hashanah – Sunday, September 20th – Chabad will be providing 15-minute “Shofar Blowing Ceremonies” at public parks throughout the Conejo Valley within walking distance of the respective local Chabad Rabbi. All those in attendance will be asked to wear masks and stand 6 feet apart from each other (except for members of the same family).

• 1:30 PM @ Beachfront Lawn – Embassy Suites Hotel at 2101 Mandalay Beach Rd in Oxnard - Following Rosh Hashana Services RSVP HERE
• 2:00 PM @ Corner Westlake Blvd. & Evenstar in Westlake Village 
• 3:00 PM @ Forest Cover Park - 5451 Forest Cove Lane in Agoura Hills 
• 4:00 PM @ Reyes Adobe Park - 31400 Rainbow Crest Drive in Agoura Hills 
• 4:00 PM @ Mission Oaks Park - 5501 Mission Oaks Blvd in Camarillo RSVP REQUIRED
• 4:30 PM @ Sumac Park - 6000 Calmfield Ave in Agoura Hills 
• 5:00 PM @ Simi Hills Golf Course - 5031 Alamo St. in Simi Valley 
• 5:30 PM @ Triunfo Park - 980 Aranmoor Ave in Westlake Village 
• 5:00 PM  @ T.O. Library Park - The Healing Garden - 1379 East Janss Road in Thousand Oaks
• 5:00 PM @ Dos Vientos Community Park - 4801 Borchard Rd in Newbury Park 
• 5:30 PM @ Mae Boyar Park - 30 Kanan Road in Oak Park 
• 5:30 PM @ Lake Lindero Landing - Lake Crest Drive in Agoura Hills 
• 5:30 PM @ Chabad of North Ranch Patio - 1145 Lindero Canyon Rd in North Ranch 
• 5:30 PM @ Poindexter Park - 500 Poindexter Ave in Moorpark
• 6:00 PM @ Nancy Bush Park - 1150 Bradford Ave in Camarillo RSVP REQUIRED

Chabad has a website all about Rosh Hashana at https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4644/jewish/Rosh-Hashanah.htm

They also have a website just for kids with fun, games, stories and activities about Rosh Hashana at https://www.chabad.org/kids/article_cdo/aid/354744/jewish/Rosh-Hashanah.htm

A FUN ROSH HASHANA CRAFT FOR KIDS

• Honey Bee Rosh Hashana Cards
• Hand Print Rosh Hashana Cards
• Apple Lacing Card

Rosh Hashana is the start of the Jewish New Year. This holiday is also called the Day of Judgment, the Day of Remembrance, and the Day of Shofar Blowing. During the two days of this holiday, Jews attend services at Synagogues or Temples where they will pray for a sweet year full of blessings, ask their families and friends for forgiveness for any transgression and hear the blowing of the Shofar (a Ram's Horn). 

Kids can make their own Shofar at http://joyfuljewish.wordpress.com

THE FAMILY MEAL

One of the funnest parts of this holiday is the nightly meal where Jews get together for a large family dinner, where they eat round Raisin Challah's or Egg Bread and dip Apples in the Honey, as symbol of having a sweet New Year. Traditionally, the  meals provide a wonderful opportunity for family to get together, enjoy each other, reflect on the past year and be optimistic for the upcoming year. Some fun foods to enjoy while celebrating this holiday are Apples dipped in Honey, Sweet Carrot Tsimmes, the round Challah or Egg Bread with Raisins and Honey Cakes. 

Here is a yummy Honey Cake Recipe I make every year:

Spiced Chocolate Honey Cake:

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1 cup vegetable oil 
• 1 cup honey (preferably Avocado Honey) - I also usually double the honey for extra sweetness
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 can Pepsi beverage 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1/2 cup non dairy chocolate chips 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). 
2. Grease 2 tube cake pans. Set aside. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground cloves and allspice. Set aside. 
4. In bowl combine honey, oil, and both sugars. 
5. Beat mixture on low to medium-low speed for 1 minute or until its mixed well. 
6. Add in the eggs, Pepsi and vanilla and beat for 2 to 3 minutes on low speed. 
7. Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed for another 2 minutes until batter is smooth and well combined.
8. Fold in chocolate chips.
9. Pour batter into the prepared tube pans and bake 350 degree F (180 C) oven for 50 to 65 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean (without any moist crumbs). 
10. Remove from oven and let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack and let cake cool completely. 
11. When cake has cooled, transfer to a serving plate or platter or freeze like I do until I need to serve it. 

Gan Camarillo Preschool also shared with us ways to educate your child on the holiday with this fun sheet of activities:



Info on Rosh Hashana provided by Leah Lang, the Director of Education at the Gan Camarillo Preschool in Camarillo. You may contact her at leahlang@gmail.com  or visit the Gan Camarillo Preschool Blog Page .