Rosh Chodesh Shvat 5774 begins on January 1st at Sundown - wishing everyone a Chodesh Shvat Tov!
The Gregorian (Solar) Calendar New Year of 2014 began at Midnight on January 1st.
Of course everybody knows that the perfect way to ring in the "New Year" is to go to a Grateful Dead concert. For days we've been re-living our past glories, playing New Year's Eve concerts we've known and loved in epochs gone by - The Grateful Dead, Phish, the String Cheese Incident, the Allman Brothers, etc. etc.
It's also the New Moon (a "Supermoon," gevaldt - and if you want to know what that means be in touch with Lorelai at her Astrolojew blog!)
Of course there are many "New Year's" and not just by us! The Chinese New Year will roll around this year on January 31st. Then there's the Fiscal Year (both corporate and federal, falling on two different dates).
Then there is the fact that there are not one but FOUR New Year's in the Jewish Calendar - Rosh Chodesh Nissan, which is the New Year for Kings (kind of a political New Year!), of course the 1st of Tishrei a.k.a. ROSH HASHANAH, the "birthday of the world" and the day that the Hebrew Calendar advances from one year to another. Rosh Chodesh Elul is considered the New Year for animal tithes, and Tu b'Shvat (the 15th of the Month of Shvat) is the New Year for trees.
OK, so what can we say - we like to party. Any excuse for a New Year, right?
Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, remember that Radio Free Nachlaot is always there with you and for you! Happy 2014, Chodesh Tov!
