Rosh Chodesh Dates for 2011-2012
Monday, October 31, 2011 Chesvan
(Actual Date Friday, Oct. 28, Saturday, Oct 29)
Monday, November 28, 2011 Kislev
(Actual Date, Sunday, November 27)
Monday, December 26, 2011 Tevet
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 Shevet
(Actual Date, Wednesday, January 25
Thursday, February 23, 2012 Adar
Thursday, March 22, 2012 Nisan
(Actual Date, Saturday, March 24)
Monday, April 23, 2012 Iyar
Monday, May 21, 2012 Sivan
As part of the feminist movement, in the mid 1980’s small groups of Jewish women began to come together month by month on Rosh Chodesh, to commemorate the arrival of the new moon. Unlike the Gregorian calendar where the months begin with a full moon, the Hebrew Calendar, which is based on the cycles of the moon, begins when the moon is a tiny sliver which is barely visible.
Women began to look back and seek the Biblical and historical origins of this special festival. According to the text, God gave Rosh Chodesh to women as a reward because they refused to give up their jewelry for the building of the Golden Calf. Thus we would be re-born each month. The moon would teach us about the rhythms of our bodies, the seasons, and the months of the year.
New rituals of meditation, music, art, poetry and literature have been and continue to be created. These rituals have led to a special kind of bonding. By sharing one’s personal stories as well as those of our matrilineal ancestors we have made Jewish History and practice more relevant in the present. Often Rosh Chodesh festivals as they have come to be known have enabled women to explore strategies for personal growth and spiritual development in a peaceful group setting. In addition, just looking at the moon reminds us of our Jewish Roots.
In her book, Miriam’s Well, Penina Adelman describes these roots in the following way: Rosh Chodesh was born in the desert. In our wilderness wonderings we
learned to speak to the heavens and to find answers written in the shapes of the clouds. The rocks taught us to be patient. The scraggly bushes taught us how to save the rain and embrace the earth. The palm trees clustered together like children around a green pool, showing us how to join them on knees to drink the blessed water. The desert sustained us all with the same umbilical cord. Is it any wonder we who emerged from the Red Sea together into the wilderness of Sinai all began to live by one rhythm?
For many years these memories and sacred knowledge were lost. The women at Sinai had taken this eventuality into account and prayed to the Shekhinah,
the feminine face of God for guidance. The Shekhinah let them know that in the future when women sought this monthly wisdom once again. it would be rediscovered as easily as moving aside a rock to uncover a fragrant plant beneath. Then the ritual would be reinstated through a community of women who remember in a distant dream, how the moon once called to them at Sinai.
The women of B’nai Torah are one of these communities. Give yourself a wonderful gift and join us at one of our monthly meetings or for an entire year.