Message from the Grand Master of KMFAP to Knights and Dames of Jewish Faith on the occasion of the Rosh Hashanah celebrations

Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."

On these 1st and 2nd days of the month of Tishrei, of the year 5774, our dear Knights and Dames of the Jewish Faith celebrate their New Year and the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, or, better saying, the birthday of the Mankind, highlighting the very special relationship between God and humanity: " We are Your people and You are our King "

As we all live in a World full of violence and war, in which the human beings destroy themselves, it is very important that our Knights and Dames of all Religions celebrate the creation of Mankind and of the human brotherhood, since we are all equal children of Adam and Eve.

The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram's horn. The 100 shofar blasts sounded on both days of Rosh Hashanah represent not only the trumpet blast of a people's coronation of God as their King, but represents also a call to repentance, because Rosh Hashanah is also the anniversary of man's first sin and his repentance thereof, and this serves as the first of the "Ten Days of Repentance" which will culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

May the sound of this shofar encourage us all, Knights and Dames from all religions, to think twice about our acts and our faults, and may the piece of apple dipped in honey, eaten on this occasion - which symbolizes our desire for a sweet year and for blessings, and abundance - make us all think about those who have nothing to eat, and for whom the year will not have blessings nor abundance:

Baruch atah Adonay, Eloheinu Melech Ha Olam, hamotzie lechem min haaretz.

Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

5th September 2013