Women's League

This year, Judaism's eight-day Festival of Lights begins at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 25, aka Christmas Day. It's a rarity, the first time that particular holiday convergence has occurred in almost two decades.

This is due to the fact that the Christian and Jewish religions follow different calendars, one based on the sun's travels, the other also incorporating cycles of the moon. Because this Jewish year (5785) is a leap year, the Hanukkah holiday begins almost at the end of the month of December.

What's a Jewish leap year?

The Jewish calendar system is very intricate but can be summed up with a each month is either 29 or 30 days and begins around the new moon. To ensure that the Jewish holidays align with their traditional seasons on the Gregorian calendar, the primary dating system used by the Western world, an additional "leap month" is added to the Hebrew calendar every two or three years. The Jewish calendar was established in the fourth century.

The first night of Hanukkah last fell on Christmas Day in 2005. Before that, the overlap occurred in 1959 and 1921. It will happen next in 2035 and then not until 2054.

In 2016 and 1978, the first night of Hanukkah fell on Christmas Eve. That will happen again in 2027.

Chag Urim Sameach (Happy Festival of Lights)

Dear Cuban Hebrew Community,

It is always good to make new friends, and for acquaintances to become friends too. For various reasons we find ourselves single later in our lives. Good friends can fill a void we may feel from time to time. There are new people coming into our community all the time. We are a warm and welcoming Temple. But it is not easy to make friends. We are looking to restart a social group for single seniors members. To be real chevra, a group of friends who value each other’s company, we need to find activities we want to share, and good times to meet. 

So here is an informal survey, please respond. (contact@cubanhebrew.com) We can have a relaxed meet –up at the temple for those who are interested to begin.

- Do you prefer to meet during the day, evening or either is good?

- Meet for coffee, lunch, dinner – any preference?

- Outings –movies, theater trips, museum trips – club with live music?

- Classes – art, music, dance, yoga?