Listening Post - Kansas City Jewish Chronicle

We have a new loyal reader! Karen Agron Flattery took this photo of her dog Teddy reading our latest Jewish Life magazine. Karen and her husband Kevin adopted the poodle mix, thought to be 2 to 3 years old, from Unleashed Pet Rescue earlier this year. He was found roaming the streets in Kansas City, Kansas. So happy you liked this edition Teddy, you may have a future in commercial advertising!

Who will be the first Jewish baby of 2017? — Every year for who knows how many years Jewish Chronicle advertisers have awarded prizes to the family of the first Jewish baby and the tradition continues in 2017. Complete contest rules can be found on page 13. Here’s what you do if you think you have the first Jewish baby of 2017:

Contact Chronicle Editor Barbara Bayer at 913-951-8425 or . The office is officially closed on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, so it could be Jan. 3 before you make contact with her. Be prepared to offer the following information about the baby and his/her family: Is one or both parents Jewish and will the child be raised Jewish? What date and time was the baby born? Does the parent/s understand that they will be interviewed and the baby photographed for publication in the newspaper? A winner may not be declared immediately and could take as long as 24 hours after the initial conversation with The Chronicle. We can’t wait to meet 2017’s first Jewish baby!

Monday night, the third night of Hanukkah, was Chabad’s annual Chanukah on Ice party and the headliner this year was Mitchell Schwartz. The 6-foot, 5-inch Chiefs player was greeted by dozens of Jewish fans, young and old, and he patiently took pictures with all who asked before and after he had the honor of lighting the menorah — with the help of a blow torch. In his opening remarks, Rabbi Mendy Wineberg said they had to have Schwartz light the Menorah because he was the only one ‘tall enough to reach the candles!’ As a very important side note, the sufganiot (fried jelly donuts) made by the ladies of Chabad were delicious.

HAPPY NEW YEAR — Many of us think that Jews in the Diaspora celebrate two new years — the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, and the secular New Year, Jan. 1. But if you are counting, Jews who celebrate the secular New Year celebrate the new year five different times.

In ancient times four new years were on the Jewish calendar, specified in Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1. They are 1 Tishri, 15 Shevat, 1 Nisan and 1 Elul. Many of us are familiar with the first two new years: Rosh Hashanah (1 Tishrei) and Tu b’Shevat (15 Shevat) — the New Year of the Trees. Then there’s 1 Nisan, which is the day the Jews left Egypt and is actually the first month of the Jewish calendar. (Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the seventh month.) Finally, there is 1 Elul — a time of repentance in preparation for the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

So, whether you celebrate one new year, two new years or five new years, here’s to a happy and healthy 2017. To begin the secular year, here’s a thought I think our sages, if they were ringing in 2017, might like:

“Don’t think of the opportunities that you have missed in the last year. The New Year is an unwritten book, so choose your actions and words wisely and fill it up with pages that are worth reading by the end of the year.” (author unknown, bestwishesquotes.com)