This Passover is one for the celestial record books — religious Jews say it’s only the third time in history (that’s 5,769 years according to the Jewish calendar) that the holiday begins at the same time that the sun is in the exact position it occupied when it was created by God (not his real name). To mark this rare event, rabbis from Congregation B’nai Avraham in Brooklyn Heights will lead a special “sun blessing” at Borough Hall.
Rabbi Simcha Weinstein from the Remsen Street orthodox synagogue sees the overlapping with Passover as more than a coincidence.
“The world is in turmoil and darkness. We all feel it, we’re one stop from Wall Street,” Weinstein told The Brooklyn Paper. However, “I feel like there’s light at the end of tunnel.”
Light, perhaps, but nothing having anything to do with the supposed Creation of the sun, planets and the universe. The light on Wednesday morning will merely be the sun coming over the horizon, said one noted astronomer.
“There’s nothing of significance on that day,” said Dr. Greg Matloff, an astrophysicist at City Tech in Downtown Brooklyn.
Birkat Hachamah, steps of Borough Hall [209 Joralemon St. between Court and Adams streets in Downtown Brooklyn, (718) 596-4840], April 8, 8:45 am.
