MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

Also, we’ve been having several different celebrations recently:

 

To all Muslims, wishing all a very Happy Islamic New Year or Salam Ma’al Hijrah!! Why is this new year different from the regular one? Here’s info by Wikipedia:

 

The Islamic New Year is a cultural event which Muslims observe on the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. Many Muslims use the day to remember the significance of this month, and the Hijra, or migration, Islamic prophet Muhammad made it to the city now known as Medina. Recently, in many areas of Muslim population, people have begun exchanging cards and gifts on this day, though this is not commonly done. For Shia Muslims, Muharram is a month of grief and sorrow because they mourn the death of Imam Hussain and his companions on the day of Ashura.

 

To our Jewish friends, wishing a very Happy Hanukkah! and if you don’t know what its all about here’s some info from The Jewish Outreach Institute:

 

Hanukkah is the most widely celebrated American Jewish holiday, possibly because it is a fun, child-centered occasion. It is celebrated with excellent food, an exchange of gifts, and the lighting of beautiful menorahs (special Hanukkah candelabras) filled with brightly colored candles. Unlike some of the other Jewish holidays, which require intense spiritual reflection or elaborate preparation, it is easy to celebrate.

 

Many Jewish holidays commemorate events invested with historical and religious meaning, and Hanukkah is no exception. Hanukkah means “rededication,” and it commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by foreign forces. The celebration also reaffirms the continuing struggle to live by God’s commandments and to lead Jewish lives.

 

When all is said and done, perhaps the most important message of Hanukkah may be found in the name of the holiday itself: Dedication. When Jews have dedicated themselves, through faith and action, to the pursuit of high religious and human ideals, Judaism has been strong. Hanukkah begins every year on the 25th of the Hebrew month of “Kislev.” This year, the 25th of Kislev corresponds to the evening of December 11th, 2009 .

 

To our Buddhist friends, Happy Bodhi Day!

 

Bodhi Day is the Day of Enlightenment, celebrating the day that the historical Buddha (Shakyamuni or Siddhartha Gautama) experienced enlightenment (also known as Bodhi).