L'shana tova u'm'tuka!!!!!

Yesterday, September 21st, I had the pleasure of participating in a uniquely Santa Cruzian Jewish event, a fusion between an appreciation for nature and a call to the yiddishe neshama to wake up at this time of entering a new year.

Eitan Altshuler, with Rabbi Shalom Bochner of Hillel, organized a hike to Tree Nine (the legendary climbing tree behind Colleges 9 and 10), where we were to climb to the very top and blow the shofar (it is a widely practiced Jewish custom to blow the shofar every day starting at the beginning of the month of Elul, in order to arouse oneself to soul-searching and self-betterment).

In my eyes, the event was a huge success. Me and Eitan climbed the tree, shofar in hand, and belted out the traditional order of blasts from among the treetops, and Shalom echoed with his shofar at the base of the tree. Blowing a huge shofar while sitting on top of a huge tree in the forest, looking down at a cloud-filled bay in the afternoon light, was moving to say the least.

Two other students, Josh and Pepper, joined us at the top, and this fact is of particular importance. Not only did they seem genuinely appreciative of the whole event, but apparently they actually found out about it from the JewniProj, which, as far as I know, was the only online resource to have listed it. Yasher koach again Eitan for organizing this event. I hope it becomes a Santa Cruz tradition.

I personally want to ask forgiveness from anyone I may have offended this past year, and I wish everyone a sweet, happy, and healthy new year! L'shana tova u'm'tuka!