Residents, their families and staff members of The Legacy Senior Communities recently gathered together to observe Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Special High Holiday services were heldat both The Legacy Preston Hollow in Dallas and The Legacy Willow Bend life care community in Plano. While it is a time of celebration, the focus is on reflection regarding the previous year and prayer related to self-improvement in the new year ahead. It occurs on the first and second days of Tishri as the period of introspection, which continues for the ten days commonly known as the Days of Awe. The Legacy Preston Hollow hosted an Erev Rosh Hashanah dinner and service for residents and their family members led by Bruce Feldman, and The Legacy Willow Bend held a special Taslich service the second day of Rosh Hashanah led by Don Croll, Cantor Emeritus from Temple Shalom.
During the Erev Rosh Hashanah dinner at The Legacy Preston Hollow, residents and guests enjoyed apples dipped in honey to symbolize the desire for sweet things to come in the year ahead. Afterward, they participated in a service filled with prayers, songs and celebration. The following day, members of The Legacy Willow Bend took part in a Taslich service with prayer led by Cantor Croll. During the service, the sounding of the shofar–the ram’s horn–was heard as the call to repentance. It is a central ritual that represents the trumpet blast summoning people to request forgiveness and pray for a year of life, health and prosperity. Afterward, participants tossed breadcrumbs into the outdoor water fountain on the campus of The Legacy Willow Bend, symbolizing a release from their sins of the past. All residents and guests celebrated by saying in Hebrew, “L’shana Tova,” which means “for a good year.”
“We all look forward to Rosh Hashanah in our communities because it is an opportunity to spend time together with family and friends celebrating the start of a new year, while looking for ways to improve ourselves in the year to come,” said Andrea Statman, director of development for The Legacy Senior Communities. “It brings us joy to see the residents and their families come together on our campuses, and by hearing the sounding of the shofar together, we are all spiritually awakened. By sharing this experience with one another, we lay the foundation for a sweet new year.”