FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 29
Victoria’s
DIARY
Victoria
SCHNEPSYUNIS
vschneps@gmail.com
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The Days of Awe
My family of 12 gathered
together to celebrate
Rosh Hashanah in the
year 5,718 of the Jewish faith.
The holiday represents the
beginning of the Jewish new
year, commemorates the creation
of the world and marks the
beginning of the Days of Awe, a
10-day period of introspection
and repentance culminating in
Yom Kippur.
This year’s celebration was like
no other. Since I was a little
girl, I went with my parents
to the synagogue
to celebrate the holiday
and when I had
a family of my own,
I took my children
to services.
I am always in
awe of the magnificent
music and
voices sharing the
prayers and profound
words of the
rabbi leading the
services. But this is
a year like no other
due to the pandemic
and my synagogue
offered the holiday services
via Zoom.
ser-
There I was in my bed, listening
to the prayers and powerful
choir singing their hearts
out . The cantor’s singing was
so beautiful, that I closed my
eyes and felt his passion coming
through my screen. It was a
strange experience, yet an intimate
way to celebrate and pray
for redemption to be placed in
the Book of Life on Yom Kippur.
My favorite part of the service
is the blowing of the shofar,
a trumpet made from a ram’s
horn. This year, Temple Sinai
of Roslyn’s horn blower’s blasts
rang out with the longest I’ve
ever heard. Awesome!
With great fortune, my children
and their children gathered
together to celebrate the holiday.
Whenever I feel overwhelmed
by life, I remember mental pictures
of my darling grandchildren
safely playing outside running
after each other, laughing
and crying with glee as day turns
into night.
In fear of COVID-19, we had
a delicious dinner served in my
daughter Samantha’s backyard.
Fortunately the weather cooperated
perfectly. How blessed I was
to have them all well with me
and able to safely celebrate the
beginning of the Days of Awe.
My warm wishes to all my
readers celebrating the holidays.
Dan’s A new Papers era for lis-
Our first edition as owners of Dan’s Papers hit the newsstand in
The Hamptons. To see the digital edition, visit www.danspapers.
The loss of RBG
com/read-the-paper-online. Enjoy! Having recently lost a powerful leader Claire Shulman, I was struck how people shared words
about the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg that were similar to what people said about Claire’s
impact on our region.
The Brooklyn-born Supreme Court Justice made our country more just and brought greater equality
and dignity to our American citizens.
As Rabbi Michael A. White in his note to his congregation, “Ruth Bader
Ginsburg is evidence that God is real in this world. God grants some among
us extraordinarily powerful souls. Such giants do not simply live; they are
not passively carried through life by its currents, responding to its blessings
and challenges.”
And he continued to say, “she lifted the suffering of many in life and
after they are gone. Her influence will redound to future generations...
Monumental souls like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, they change the world.”
He went on to say that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a “quiet
warrior, full of courage, persistence, determination — a graceful giant.”
As a Jew, I was proud that she was one of us, who called for justice and
humbly hoped to live up to Judaism's aspirations for dignity for every
human being.
Rabbi White eloquently spoke about how RBG’s great
convictions and commitments are our inheritance. Her
fight for justice and equality are now our fight, our battle…
In her last interviews, she was asked how she
wanted to be remembered and she said, “Whatever
you choose to do, leave tracks. You want to leave
this world a little better for having lived.”
All six grandchildren gathered outdoors
for a Rosh Hashanah dinner.
Cousins Blake and Hudson
“consulting” during the celebration.
bless-
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
link
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