Blessing at Borough Hall

By NY1 News

From the steps of Borough Hall in Brooklyn, to the rooftop of the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Jews gathered across the city Wednesday morning to bless the sun in a ceremony seen only once in a generation – a ceremony known in Hebrew as “Birkat Hachamah.”

“Once in 28 years the sun and the earth are lined up in the same position as they were in creation,” said Rabbi Aaron Raskin of Congregation B’nai Avraham. “And the significance of today’s event is to acknowledge that God is the creator of the universe and not that nature takes its course by itself.”

The calculations to determine the day are complex but the prayers to mark the occasion are simple.

Jews celebrated in both traditional and nontraditional ways. Some kicked up their heel in a hora dance while others stretched their limbs in a yoga position appropriately known as the “sun salutation.” But the joy was felt by all participating in the blessing.

“We wanted to be joined with all the Jewish people in celebrating this incredible event that joins the natural environment with the spiritual environment,” said a celebrator.

“It’s another chance to thank God for making such a beautiful world,” said another. “The last time this happened I was seven years old and I wasn’t really aware of it, but hopefully he’ll remember and he’ll do the next time in 28 years.”

“None of us have ever done this before, and it’s going to be like 28 years from now we are going to do it again,” said a participating child. “We’ll remember this all our lives.”

According to Jewish law, worshippers can only glance at the sun during the blessing.

“One should not think that we are praying to the sun, but simply acknowledging God’s power and blessing in creating the sun,” said Raskin.

The blessing attracted Jews and interested gentiles like David Bison.

“I’m excited. I’m not Jewish, I’m Catholic, but I just love the fact that they are blessing God’s creations,” he said.

So Bison joined in on the blessing, which won’t be heard again until 2037.