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Health & Fitness

L'Shanah Tovah!

Happy New Year!

Jews around the world welcomed the beginning of the New Year, 5774 on the Jewish calendar, with Rosh Hashanah services. Locally, members of the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (CHJ) and guests gathered to celebrate, and to ponder Humanistic and Jewish traditions and stories.

Each year CHJ chooses a different theme for their High Holiday services; this year’s theme is The Jewish Tradition of Questioning. As Jews and humanists, the congregants acknowledge the importance of constant questioning of their beliefs, values and actions. Valuing their Jewish traditions and their own adaptations to science, modernity and a humanistic philosophy, they do not uphold practices that conflict with their personal ethics and worldview. Questioning often serves as an agent for change, and change may be uncomfortable. Yet sometimes familiarity is sacrificed for integrity. 

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Programming continues today at 1:00.

Manny Ratafia, of the Humanist Association of Connecticut, was the guest speaker during last night’s service. Ratafia’s discussion today will continue the theme of Questioning. Another interactive discussion today will ask if it it is time to come out of the secular closet?  A children’s service that is appropriate for kids between the ages of 4-14 will be held at 1:00, and then supervised childcare is available for the rest of the afternoon. 

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Yom Kippur Kol Nidre evening (September 13th) and day services (September 14th)  will take place next week.

All activities take place at the Unitarian Church in Westport, 10 Lyons Plains Road, Westport, CT 06880. Casual attire is recommended for day services.

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