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Birkat HaHammah – Blessing of the Sun

by · February 6th, 2009
Birchat HaChammah, Blessings, Hazon, Jewish Organizations, Participate!

From our friends at the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life:

Birkat HaHammah Art Competition Poster

On April 8, 2009 the Jewish community will rejoice the Sun’s return to its original place in the heavens at the precise time and day of its creation. This event, called Birkat HaHammah – Blessing of the Sun – is commemorated every 28 years. This year the Sun will be completing its 205th cycle. Though it’s great to appreciate the gifts of the sun every day, during Birkat HaHammah we join as a community to raise our heads to the skies and give thanks for this wonderful gift, the eternal light that does not only mark out time, but also makes possible all life on earth.

To honor Birkat HaHammah, and mark the Sun’s significance and indispensability in our lives, COEJL, Hazon, JNF, Canfei Nesharim and AvodaArts, are hosting an art competition to encourage contemporary artists to create artwork that captures the power of this moment.

Your mind may have immediately wandered towards solar panels, suntans and good ol’ sunshine – but don’t forget the oldest form of harnessing the sun’s energy – photosynthesis! Our farms, gardens and windowsill herbs all capture the sun’s energy and provide us with the bounty of its food.

Engage your internal artist or simply spread the news! For more information about Birkat HaHammah, check out the constantly updated www.BlesstheSun.org.

You can learn more about the work of COEJL at their blog, To Till and To Tend.

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3 Responses to “Birkat HaHammah – Blessing of the Sun”

  1. Sandy Wasserman Says:
    March 6th, 2009 at 10:55 pm

    What a great posting!! And the http://www.blessthesun.org is terrific.
    PLEASE read my website about my new book: THE SUN’S SPECIAL BLESSING, a new children’s picture book about Birkat HaChamah. http:web.mac.com/sfwasserman
    Authored by Sandy Wasserman & Illustrated by Ann Koffsky, the book is for children in grades 2-5 (Pitspopany Press.)Its protagonist is a girl in third grade about to learn about this special blessing and mitzvah, recited only once every 28 years. Her class digs up a time capsule from 1981, the last time the blessing was recited, view the artifacts of that decade, learn the blessing and then make their own time capsule for 2009. HOW COOL IS THIS! On the website:where to order. OR email me: sandyfw@gmail.com GREAT GIFT RIGHT NOW or for AFIKOMEN GIFT.

  2. Sandy Wasserman Says:
    March 8th, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    Involve your children in Birkat HaChamah – occurs only a few times in one’s lifetime – New children’s book: THE SUN’S SPECIAL BLESSING, for children grades 2-5

  3. Lauri Wolff Polen Says:
    March 31st, 2009 at 11:46 pm

    Nehemia Polen and Lauri Wolff Polen have compiled a book called “Blessing of the Sun: A Study of the Birkat ha-Hammah from Early Times to the Present together with a new edition of the Birkat ha-Hammah liturgy, caligraphed by Lauri Wolff Polen with a cover by artists Martin Farren and Joan Benjamin Farren. It can be viewed at http://www.blessingthesun2009.com or ordered by contacting Lauri at joylife7@aol.com with subject “blessing the sun” or calling 617-697-0438 to order

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