Happy New Year! Rosh Hashanah from Root Source

Published: Mon, 10/03/16

Blow the shofar in the new moon in the time appointed on our solemn feast day. Psalms 81: 3

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Dear ,

Happy New Year! No, it is not January, it is Tishrei, the first Jewish Calendar month, which is celebrated on the Feast of "Trumpets" or more literally, the Feast of the Shofar Blast.

We share with you an introduction to the holy Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur.

Last week, a great statesman and leader of Israel passed away, Shimon Peres. Listen to Gidon's eulogy for him.

Bob notices some "buzz" around the Internet about Black Moons. What is it all about?

And as we announced in the past, we are excited about our Gideon 300 members! Read about them in this week's newsletter.

And we finish up as usual with a beautiful comment from one of our students - this time an appreciation for being inducted into the Gideon 300 - and a beautiful picture from the Land of Israel.

Shalom,

Gidon Ariel and Bob O’Dell
Root Source Founders

Weekly Portion:
Vayelech – October 8 – 6 Tishrei

This week we read Vayelech (And He Went), Deuteronomy 31:1 – 31:30. This is the weekly portion with the fewest verses, and is often combined with the previous week’s portion, Nitzavim. In the parashah, Moses tells the Israelites to be strong and courageous, as God and Joshua would soon lead them into the Promised Land. Moses commands the Israelites to read the law to all the people every seven years. God then tells Moses that his death is approaching, that the people would break the covenant, and that God would thus hide God’s face from them, so Moses should therefore write a song to serve as a witness for God against them. That song is the next portion, Ha’azinu.

This year, this week’s portion falls out between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, which is a special Shabbat, known as Shabbat Shuva.

Learn about Yom Kippur!>>

Yom Kippur!

Judaism has a whole bunch of holidays, most from the Bible going back thousands of years.

Yom Kippur, literally the Day of Atonement, is one of the most important holidays, but there is a lot about it that is not well known.

Gidon Ariel teaches about some of the basics of this important holiday.

Your comments and questions are welcome!

Read our answer here>>

In Memoriam: Shimon Peres

I am writing this on Friday, and moments ago the funeral of Shimon Peres came to a close. Shimon Peres was one of Israel’s founding fathers, and Gidon Ariel was interviewed by Paul Calvert for his radio program about this giant–if controversial–Israeli and world statesman:

Listen to this fascinating interview>>

Black Moons:
Hype, Hits and Hyperbole

The more things in the sky seem to change these days, the more they stay the same down here on earth.

The black moons of September 30th is a case in point, and to save you time, let us cut right to the chase.

The black moon on September 30th is a byproduct of our calendar. It is not important. It is not even visible.

And any “meaning” attributed to it is solidly in the realm of superstition.

So let’s start with the sky and answer “What is a black moon?”

Read what Bob has to say about this>>

The Gideon 300

Way back when we started Root Source, we felt like we were doing something important by bringing Jews and Christians together on the common “root source” of the shared beliefs of the Bible.

Root Source have recently reached a milestone: we reached our three hundredth and final member of the Gideon 300.

This exclusive club consists of the first 300 students of Root Source who signed up for membership AND have remained students for one full year or longer (or purchased an annual plan).

Read about this milestone>>

Our Readers Love Us!

Apropos the Gideon 300, our student Nondumiso wrote us this lovely email:

"Good Morning Gideon,

Thank you so much for this certificate, I appreciate it more than anything I've received in the last decade.

More grace to you, Sir.

Kind Regards,
Nondumiso"

Jerusalem: Gardens

We are pleased to share with you this picture of Jerusalem: Gardens. Photo copyright by Sherwood Burton. daystardawn@outlook.com. Thank you Sherwood for this lovely photo!