Today
is the Jewish New Year and the first of the High Holy Days—ten days
leading up to and including Yom Kippur, which is the Day of
Atonement. (“Atonement” means making amends for wrongs done in
the past.)
Like
other holidays, Rosh Hashanah starts at sundown and continues until
sundown tomorrow.
This
is a happy holiday, marked by the blowing of a horn called shofar
and eating sweet foods such as
honey and apples, to bring a sweet new year. However, there is a
solemn side, too, since the High Holy Days are a time of repentance,
feeling sorry for any wrongdoing from the previous year. This
time of year is marked by fasting, prayer, and services at the synagogue.
Also
on this date:
Day
of Czech Statehood – Czech Republic
 |
| Prague is the beautiful capital of the Czech Republic. |
The
Czech state, which is in the middle of Europe, used to be called Bohemia. At times it was a part of
the Great Moravian Empire, the Austro-Hungarian empire, and
Czechoslovakia. After World War II, it was a communist-ruled state,
but on January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia was peacefully dissolved into
the two current nations: the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.
So,
why celebrate statehood on September 28?
Well,
in the Czech Republic, this is Saint Wenceslas Day. A long time ago,
on this day in 935, Wenceslas, the Duke of Bohemia and “Good King
Wenceslas” of Christmas carol fame, was murdered by his brother.
Wenceslas became the “patron saint” of the Czechs.
What
does “bohemian” mean?
A
person might be called a bohemian if he or she lives an
unconventional life, perhaps moving about frequently, with few ties
to family, job, or community, and usually involved with the arts. The
term began in the 1800s, in France, to describe “gypsies” and
other Romani people who came to France through Bohemia.
Sometimes
vagabonds, wanderers, and adventurers are called bohemians. Artists,
actors, musicians, and writers who have little money and who have
anti-establishment viewpoints are often referred to as bohemians. A certain gypsy style of fashion is sometimes referred to as bohemian....
But I personally have never heard someone referred to as Bohemian because he or she
came from the Czech Republic!
No comments:
Post a Comment