Shana Tova from Rego-Forest Preservation Council!

Courtesy of the Michael Perlman Postcard Collection

"Shana Tova 5771" or "Happy New Year" from your friends at Rego-Forest Preservation Council!  

This is a circa 100 year-old hand-colored lithographic postcard of a Jewish family observing Rosh Hashana, which is a 2-day holiday, which then culminates in the holiest day in Judaism, Yom Kippur, on the following week. Admire the traditional black hats, period clothing, and one of our most famous landmarks, the Brooklyn Bridge! The Rosh Hashana ritual they are engaging in is known as Tashlich, which originated in the Middle Ages, and is Hebrew for the "casting off" of sins. After the 1st day of prayer at the synagogue (or 2nd day if the first falls on Shabbat), people customarily throw pieces of bread into a body of water. As the bread flows away, so do the sins from the past year.

Queens has its diverse mix of synagogues, and one of the closest bodies of water in Central Queens can be found in Flushing Meadows Park. Put yourself in the shoes of your ancestors, and keep the faith!