Page 25 - Jewish News_December 2021

JEWISH INTEREST December 2021 25A

Aging Jewishly – What our traditions teach us about growing old

Our immigrant relatives brought “Happy Sylvester”

to Israel

By Rabbi Barbara Aiello

n Israel and throughout the world, That was the problem that im- nations, but recently, new information punishment they proposed.
the last night of the secular year migrants from Western Europe faced about the elusive Sylvester has come On the morning of December 31,
Itraditionally is a party night, which when they first came to Israel. These to light. In his book, France in the Sylvester himself was arrested, thrown
means that on December 31, along newcomers, especially those with roots Middle Ages, historian Georges Duby into jail and tortured there. Several
with the rest of the world, Israelis will in France, Belgium, the former Soviet speculates that Sylvester may have minutes before midnight, the 82-year-
be celebrating, too – but with one in- Union and the former Czechoslova- been Peter Sylvester, who was the old Sylvester died, but not before say-
teresting differ- kia, still wanted to celebrate the secu- bishop of Beauvais in 1431 when Joan ing his final words: “The year ends and
ence. Instead of lar New Year as they had done in their of Arc was arrested in his city. so do I.”
shouting “Happy home countries, so to avoid confusion Sylvester earned the respect of his Bishop Sylvester, as one who stood
New Year,” Is- they invented a new greeting. But why fellow Frenchmen because his was the up to Church authority and who died
raelis offer a dif- “Happy Sylvester?” voice of calm among the hype and hys- for his beliefs on the last night of the
ferent greeting. Israeli writer and columnist Dan- terics surrounding Joan of Arc’s rise to secular year, became the “Sylvester” of
As the year turns iel Rogov did some digging and found fame. Apparently, Sylvester was the the Israeli greeting offered at the begin-
from 2021 to that for years no one was certain who only cleric who did not believe that ning of each secular year. So now you
2022, Israeli Jews this Sylvester really was. Until re- young Joan was acting under the in- know. For the secular shanah, Happy
will wish each cently, many scholars believed that fluence of the devil. Sylvester defend- Sylvester 2022!
Rabbi Barbara Aiello other a “Happy the original Sylvester was a Catholic ed Joan of Arc as “a good Christian, a Rabbi Barbara Aiello served Aviva
Sylvester,” a New Year’s greeting that saint, however, there was always some woman of purity who lived according Senior Living in Sarasota as resident
invokes, of all things, the name of a confusion about his life. Speculation to the rules of the church and who had rabbi for 10 years. She now lives and
Catholic saint! included one popular story that Sylves- no evil in her.” Although Sylvester’s works in Italy where she is rabbi of
As the Jewish state, Israel formal- ter was an obscure Catholic priest who colleagues were determined to bring Italy’s first Reconstructionist syna-
ly acknowledges the Jewish New Year became famous for walking from Bor- Joan to trial and execute her, Sylvester gogue. You may reach her at Rabbi@
of Rosh Hashanah, which is marked deaux to Jerusalem – barefoot! spoke out against them and the extreme RabbiBarbara.com.
on the Hebrew calendar on the eve of Others believed that the saint was
the first day in the Hebrew month of really a Roman Catholic pope whose Rabbi Barbara Aiello’s most
Tishrei – a Jewish Holy Day and na- claim to fame was that he had brought
tional holiday that occurs in the fall of an animal back to life. Pope Sylvester, popular columns are published
the year. Rosh Hashanah is the day to legend has it, raised a bull from the
greet friends and family with “Shanah dead. Others opined that Sylvester was in her new book, Aging Jewishly,
Tovah,” a Hebrew phrase that means an Italian monk known for his “friend-
“a good year” or “Happy New Year.” ly relationships” with the local young available on Amazon.
Hence the dilemma of what to say to ladies.
differentiate the secular year from the There are many stories about Syl- It makes a great Chanukah gift!
religious one. vester, including his antisemitic incli-

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