Rant #1,296: The Jewish New Year

Today's entry is not about sports at all.

It is about the beginning of the Jewish New Year, which begins tonight at sundown with Rosh Hashanah.

Roughly translated, Rosh Hashanah means "head of the year."

The Jewish New Year asks Jews all over the world to look back at the previous year, see what has happened, and try to improve upon those circumstances.

As a kid, I was told that God looks through his book of people at this time, and decides who will stay and who will go.

It is almost like a deified reality show; those who earn another shot stay on for another year, those whose time has come ... well, they won't be here to celebrate another New Year.

Everything leads up to Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, which comes next weekend. We fast on that day, to show God that we mean what we say.

I look back at the past year, and God has already given my family and I a reprieve for whatever bad things we did during the past year.

He allowed us to survive a horrendous car accident with just a few scratches.

We certainly could have done much worse when that happened, but God was watching over us that day.

There have been plenty of other bumps in the road this year for myself and my family, but we have survived.

I hope that God looks at us, and puts a check mark next to our name, meaning that we live on until next year.

Things were mighty grim this year, but we have tried to be good people.

Jews around the world will go to their local synagogues to pray, to "doven," to ask for forgiveness for whatever sins they have committed.

What is interesting this year is that one can actually go online to do this if they so choose to.

What am I doing tomorrow?

I will not be in synagogue.

Once again, I have to go to a meeting related to my son getting Medicaid.

It is, literally, the only time I can do this, with my hand forced by the governmental office where the meeting is being held.

I am hoping that God understands. I have no choice in the matter.

So, in a great way, government is interfering in my handling of the holiday, but what can I do?

I have no say in the matter.

My "dovening" will be done in my local Social Security office.

Wish me luck.

There will be no column tomorrow, but I will be back in full force on Friday.