Holy day is a time to reflect, look ahead

As the congregation at Temple Isaiah in Newport Beach begins Rosh Hashanah tonight, they will not only be looking forward to the Jewish New Year, they’ll also be proudly looking back at this past year.

The temple, which bills itself as Orange County’s friendliest synagogue, has pushed in recent months to build its membership through public events and a recently-launched website. Last year, Rabbi Marc Rubenstein said, around 100 people visited the temple for the New Year, but the crowd for the upcoming weekend could be the biggest ever.

“We went out to the community and had free Sabbath dinners,” Rubenstein said. “We’ve had top-notch speakers come in here. So we expect twice as many people as we had last year.”

Rubenstein also will have a famous name on hand. The cantor of Temple Isaiah, Svetlana Portnyansky, has performed all over the world and will sing at Rosh Hashanah services before taking off for a tour of Japan and Central Europe.

Rosh Hashanah begins this evening at 8 p.m. at conservative Temple Isaiah and reform Temple Bat Yahm, both in Newport Beach. The holiday, which coincides with the new year on the Hebrew calendar, features two days of sermons, prayers, songs and communal meals.

“It’s an annual call to repentance, forgiveness, self-examination, concern and sensitivity, commitment and passion, the same reminders that life is fleeting, that we’re a year closer to our destined end and we had better make haste to do what we need to do,” said Rabbi Mark Miller of Temple Bat Yahm, who predicted around 1,000 members at his synagogue for the weekend.

Rosh Hashanah, which lasts from sundown on Friday to sundown on Sunday, marks the first two days of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Following it on Oct. 1 is Yom Kippur, considered the holiest day of the Jewish year.

Traditionally, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated for two days, but some reform synagogues, including Temple Bat Yahm, observe it for one. Miller noted that despite popular lingo, he and others referred to Rosh Hashanah as a holy day rather than a holiday.

“A holiday, you withdraw and want to free your mind,” he said. “On a holy day, you want to confront and fill your mind with the spirit.”