04/04/2024
On Sunday, March 31, over 60 community members came out to attend a bagel breakfast and lecture by Rabbi Dovid Heber of Baltimore, MD on astronomy and Torah in anticipation of the upcoming eclipse. We learned, among many fascinating phenomena, that total eclipses always coincide with Rosh Chodesh (the first of the Hebrew month), and that the last total solar eclipse in Jerusalem was in the year 993 and the next one will be in 2241/Jewish year 6001! Rabbi Heber, author and expert of topics of astronomy and time in the Jewish calendar, discussed the history and halachic implications of the international date line and traveling through time zones on shabbat. He mentioned that the Jewish people are compared to the moon, which waxes and wanes. This is similar to the Jewish people who come and go in strength but always remain. The eclipse is a moment when the moon appears to be equal in size to the sun reminding us that there will be a time when the Jewish people will no longer be threatened by other powers and will be a mighty force of light to the world! After a coffee/dessert break, Rabbi Heber also held an informative Q & A session about the inner world of kashrut. What a special opportunity to hear from someone with such vast knowledge! Photo credit: Jack Cotlar
