Rosh Hodesh, literally “the head of the month” marks the beginning of each new month in the Jewish (lunar) calendar. By tradition Rosh Hodesh was declared by the Sanhedrin once two reliable witnesses reported the sighting of the new moon. It has been considered a special holiday for women as far back as Talmudic times when women were exempted from work on Rosh Hodesh as a reward for refusing to contribute their gold jewelry toward the making of the golden calf.

Further associations of the lunar cycle of Rosh Hodesh with women are drawn from the Zohar, the authoritative writing of the Jewish mystical tradition, in which the moon is likened to the Shekhinah or the feminine aspect of the Divine presence. For nearly five centuries, the women of Eastern Europe wrote special Rosh Hodesh tekhines or personal prayers in Yiddish. Since the feminist movement, Rosh Hodesh groups have become an increasingly popular venue to explore various topics of interest to Jewish women including life cycle, spirituality, ritual health issues, and religious education.

The Rosh Hodesh group at Congregation Beth El is one such group: while open to all women in the congregation it remains intimate and while educational it remains informal. We laugh, we learn, we share each others’ mitzvahs (and tsures). If you haven’t yet, come be a part of the Rosh Hodesh group this year!

Check the Calendar for our next meeting or call the office for more information.