Rosh Hashanah is considered the birthday of the universe and the start of the Jewish year. This year, Rosh Hashanah starts at sundown on the second of October, and continues until sundown on the fourth. Throughout the celebration, people light candles to recall back to before modern times. There are also many festive meals during the celebration that contain many foods, each with their own meanings. The pomegranate, for example, is said to relate to the commandments in the Torah, along with the seeds representing the many good merits that are wished to be performed in the new year. A large portion of the holiday are the prayers and blowing of the ram's horn, or the Shofar-Blowing, which is done in the mornings to wake people up, ready to mend their ways.

Written By: Lucinda Wilson-Petty

Sources: Chadbad.org, NYSchuk 

Yom Kippur is considered to be the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is the day of atonement, in which God will cleanse you of your sins. This year, it falls from the eleventh to the twelfth days of October, from Friday's sunset to nightfall on Saturday. For around 26 consecutive hours, people are exempt from eating and drinking to many material things and relations. In place of these many acts, prayers are performed in a synagogue. There are five prayer services, including a prayer centered around one's consciousness and mind. The many prayers done during this time consist of asking God for forgiveness, a verdict for the rest of the year, along with happiness and health.

Written By: Lucinda Wilson-Petty

Source: Chadbad.org 

     Occurring for 10 days and 9 nights in October, from the third to the twelfth, this Asian holiday is widely celebrated in India. Navratri celebrates the defeat of the demon Mahishasura at the hands of the Goddess Durga, with each day dedicated to a different manifestation of the goddess and each day represented by a different color. The colors are as follows: yellow, green, gray, orange, white, red, royal blue, pink and purple. This holiday is usually celebrated by fasting for all nine days or for just the first two days, though the latter is more widely preferred. Usually the holiday extends to the tenth day, called Dussehra, with theatrical performances being quite common. 

Written By: Jason Yan

Sources: Britannica, IndianExpress 

  Indigenous People’s Day is a day in which we celebrate the cultures and history of the Native American people. The day falls on the second Monday of October, though formerly the 12th of the month. The day represents when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New world. This is why the day used to be known as Columbus Day, though starting 1992 in California, changed to Indigenous People’s Day. The holiday is one of history, and the sharing of indigenous cultures across the United States. Many different indigenous tribal groups were the reason why the United States came together, as without them, the pilgrims would have not have survived their first winters. 

Written By: Lucinda Wilson-Petty

Source: WhiteHouse.gov 

For:  Adrian Flores

From: Anonymous

"Congratulations on making the track team!"

For:  Logan Richardson 

From: Anonymous

"For speaking up for the students of Gotham Tech."

For:  Nicole Sandoval

From: Anonymous

"For arranging an open house event!"

For: The Boys and Girls Soccer Teams

From: Anonymous

"For representing our student body on the field of play while reminding us to fight for our right to participate."

This year is our third year participating in the FTC (First Tech Challenge)! As such, we are in the market for new teams to join the Demon Dogs and represent Gotham Tech across New York.

If you are interested in joining a Robotics Team, please go see Mr. Lento in Room 21.