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Symbols Chai Chai is a Hebrew word whose meaning is "life." Some people like to wear a gold or silver chai on a chain as a good luck symbol or a reminder of their faith. Hebrew letters have numerical values. The Hebrew letters for chai total 18. Gifts and donations are often made in multiples of 18 dollars ~ or shekels! Representations of chai are often used as decorative objects. Jewish artists have created paintings and sculptures using chai as a theme. Chai has been used as a name by many groups. Among them is CHAI, the organization formed in the US in 1984 to assist the Israeli animal protection community. Chai lends itself to puns, particularly in commercial environments. For example, there is a kosher Chinese restaurant in New York City called Shang Chai. Gifts and tzedakah are often given in multiples of eighteen dollars (or shekels or rubles or drachma). There were originally eighteen blessings in the Amidah, and matzah must be baked for no longer than eighteen minutes. Kiddush Kiddush (sanctification) is the prayer over wine, which is recited at all festival meals, including Shabbat dinner. All those present say “Amen” at the conclusion and share in the wine. Special beautiful cups, although not required, are often used for Kiddush. A kiddush cup is often given as a gift for a new baby, a bat mitzvah, a bar mitzvah, a wedding, or on other occasions. Many people collect kiddush cups. Candles We light candles on festive occasions and holidays, and particularly on Shabbat, no later than eighteen minutes before sundown. Candles are generally lit in pairs. A set of candlesticks is a traditional gift for the bride and groom. Shofar The shofar is a ritual instrument. Originally, it sounded a call to arms, a warning, or an announcement. It was the sound of a shofar that brought down the walls of Jericho. Today, we hear the shofar during the High Holy Days, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. |
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