On Wed morning April 8, there is a celebratory moment in the Jewish calendar that comes around once every 28 years. It's called "Birkat ha-Chamah" - "The Blessing of the Sun". It marks the alignment of the yearly cycle of the sun with the weekly cycle of days. Every 28 years, the vernal equinox, as calculated by the ancient rabbis about 1800 years ago, occurs on a Tuesday evening. The tradition understands this occurrence to mirror the moment when the sun came into being. As the sun rises the next morning, there is an opportunity to publicly commemorate its creation. Once in each generation, the tradition proposes that we stand together and express our awe at the power and potential of the earth's Source of Energy.
You are invited to come to the lawn behind the Rose Garden on the Swarthmore College campus at 7:30am on Wed, April 8, to celebrate. The gathering will last about 20 minutes.
