HAPPY ROSH HASHANAH AND LABOR DAY

This Monday, something will occur that I don’t remember ever happening before in my lifetime—Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah will be on the same day! (I actually researched the topic to see if it ever had, and I came up with nil.)

So I went back and forth on which one we should celebrate here, and I decided to fete…both of them! Together! (I know that I could wait until Monday, the actual day the holidays fall on, to write about one or the pair, but let me point-out that since they’re both holidays, I’m taking them off, of course! I’m both a laborer and a Jew-ess! So I should get two days off next week!)

Let me begin with Labor Day. For those who think of it as just three-day-week-end fun in the sun, that’s fine. But in case you want to know more about this federal holiday, its raison d’etre is to celebrate and honor American workers, especially for their contributions to the economy.

I’m pretty sure that this year it involves many more people than it did in 2020. That’s because so many were laid-off last year during the main part of the pandemic, and now they’ve either learned how to work from home successfully, or, because of vaccines, they’re returning to the outside-the-home work force. (Of course, I feel that everyone should still be working from home because the Delta variant is making it way too risky to go back to normal life, which soooo many people are doing! And I’m really worried about super-spreader events happening this week-end.)

So, if you are someone who works in any capacity, (which must be most of us,) I wish you a very Happy Labor Day. And an extra-special shout-out once again to all the essential workers, (not just the ones in healthcare, but the people who help us in our daily lives, in any and all capacities.) You are the ones who deserve to have a good time right now more than just anyone else!

And then we have Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which actually lasts from Monday-Wednesday. I was wracking my brain for something new to say about this holiday this year, and was coming up empty. And then I realized that most likely not all of you have seen the YouTube video I did for Rosh Hashanah last year; it’s the story of the craziest jewish holiday I ever had, which I shared with the mother of none other than Steven Spielberg! (Maybe he’d like to include this tale in the movie he’s making now about his family. If any of you can get it to him, let’s make it happen!) Since this is one of the happy holidays, (and who isn’t in need of some happiness right about now?,) I figured everyone can still use the laughs. Here’s the link to the mirth: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUZw1cpCY2c&t=38s.

To all my Jewish readers, I wish you a lovely, peaceful, healthy, and especially in 2021, a safe New Year.

And to all the workers of the world, I suggest you just kick back and relax/have fun over this holiday week-end, and especially on Labor Day itself. Just take care of yourselves and try not to be in crowds. Otherwise, it could be your lungs that are laboring next! (It’s always good to end a light article on a note of warning, isn’t it?!)