Guest Post by
Elchanan Lipshitz
Efrat, Israel
This goes back to the summer of 1969- my 1st
visit to Israel (We've since made aliya).
I'm on an Egged bus in
Yerushalayim. For lack of seats I'm standing just behind the driver.
Next to me
are sitting 2 elderly ladies who are arguing back and forth, in Hebrew of course,
as to when Rosh Hashanah will be that year. One says "early"; one says "late".
this goes back and forth for a few minutes with the tone gradually getting
louder and louder.
Finally the driver turns around and says Ladies- Rosh
Hashanah is never early or late! It is always on the 1st of Tishrei!! Now please
be quiet!!
Shoshanah, one of the managers of this blog asked Elchanan how he felt about the experience and his answer is worth repeating:
"My feeling about the bus driver matched my own
feeling. It's about time we got used to using our own calendar- especially in
Israel - and not the borrowed calendar of another religion. No, I'm not fanatic
about it and I too use the Gregorian / Solar calendar when I have to. But if I
know today's Hebrew date I will have no problem knowing exactly when Tisha B'Av,
Rosh Hashanah or any other special day falls- it's always on the same Hebrew
date! By the way, the women took the bus driver's comment in good spirit.
Hopefully it gave them as well something to think about! "
If you have an inspiring or meaningful story to share of your trip to Israel, Pilot Trip, Preparing for Aliyah, having Made Aliya, please email us to share with our readers and inspire our fellow Jew of the benefits and beauty of living in Eretz Yisrael.
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