Yom Kippur, marking the day of God’s forgiveness, is one of the most important holidays on the Hebcal Jewish Calendar. It closes the “Ten Days of Repentance”, which started with Rosh Hashanah.

The holiday literally translates as “Day of Atonement”, as the faithful ask forgiveness for their sins in the past year and blessing as they begin the New Year.

Yom Kippur, part of the High Holidays, is characterized by fasting and feasting as the members of the community strengthen their bonds. Because the months of the Jewish Calendar follow the lunar cycle, Yom Kippur is not held on the same day of the civic calendar every year, though it usually occurs between September and October.

This year (2017) it will begin Friday, September 29 and ends the evening of September 30.

The feasting starts the day before Yom Kippur, with everyone eating and drinking in abundance. On this day, two celebratory meals are consumed: one early in the day and another moments before the onset of Yom Kippur, as the holiday’s central component is in fact fasting.

Because the fasting period lasts for a little more than 25 hours, after the Erev Yom Kippur meal until the following evening, those who are too feeble, sick, or young to safely fast are not required to do so. However, healthy females from the age of 12 and males from the age of 13 must fast as part of the tradition. Those well enough to do so often add a few minutes to the beginning and end of the day of fasting, which is known as tosefet Yom Kippur.

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The Jewish New Year traditionally kicks off in Fall with Rosh Hashanah, which translates from Hebrew to “Head of the New Year.” Marking the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, Rosh Hashanah comprises the first two days of a 10 day period of prayer, repentance, and charity in Judaism.

The holiday takes place at the beginning of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Because the Hebrew calendar measures months based on the lunar cycle and years in correspondence to the solar cycle, the celebrations slide around on the secular calendar, but usually occur between September and October.

This year (2017) it will start on Wednesday, September 20 and end on Friday, September 22.

Rosh Hashanah serves as the first of the “Ten Days of Repentance”, which marks man’s first sin and his repentance. The Ten Days of Repentance begin with Rosh Hashanah and end in celebration with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Some of the customs that take place during Rosh Hashanah include:

• Sounding the shofar, which is to alert listeners of the coming judgment
• Eating a round challah, which symbolizes the circle of life
• Eating apples dipped in honey to usher in a sweet New Year
• Eating of pomegranate to bring a year full of mitzvot and good deeds

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Each year we get the privilege of working with our good client Denese at Rustoleum to help her plan their annual company-wide picnic. For many years, the Rustoleum Picnic has taken place at the North Bay Pavilion at Independence Grove. But when the picnic grew a bit too big for the picturesque space, we worked together to find an alternative event venue that would be suitable for the company’s growing needs.

Eventually, we decided on Banner Day Camp.

My client Denese is incredible at executing a vision she has for an event. Once she gets an idea in her head, it’s impossible to get in her way. We knew Banner Day Camp would be the perfect venue to allow her to really spread out and execute any theme she had in mind.

After talking back and forth to develop the theme for the event, we came up with some great ideas and elements:

• The dude ranch-type welcome sign was a hit.
• The décor throughout the space included thematic elements, such as haystacks, barrels, ropes, a couple of ranch-type lounge areas, rustic florals in galvanized vases, and pallet tables for the extensive raffle offerings
• We had actors dressed up as old-timey Western characters (one of whom was a lasso expert!).
• We catered Western-themed food, including pulled pork sandwiches, baby back ribs, roasted corn on the cobb and baked beans.
• Our caricaturists drew on pre-printed, fun and logoed paper.
• We also had pony rides, and tasked our hayrides to be valet transportation for remote parkers.

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Have you met the lovely Cynthia (call her “Cindy”) Senecal? She’s an amazing member of the Catering by Michaels team, working in the Accounting Department as the Accounts Receivable Specialist since 2008.

It’s always fun to see what makes our staff tick, and Cindy had a lot to say about her time at Catering by Michaels, and what she likes to do outside of work!

What did you do before working here?

Did I even have a life before CBM?  Honestly, what I did was nothing exciting: Banking, Management Office of Currency Exchanges.

I will say that regardless of where I’ve been and where I’m going, I’m all about Accountancy – only.  Accountancy is my life. I wouldn’t be as happy in another role!

What does a typical work day look like?

It involves lots of computer time divvied up between bookkeeping, invoicing, accounts receivable, and assisting with accounts payable. But I make sure to take breaks as I need them to sample the delicious dishes being cooked up in the kitchen!

What’s the best part of your job?

I love my team – from the executive level on, they are great people to work with! It wouldn’t be the same without the amazing people I share my time with.

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Juno is Chef B.K. Park’s answer to Chicago’s need for a contemporary sushi restaurant. Nestled in Lincoln Park, Juno is popular for its amazing sushi, sophisticated ambience and top-notch service.

After closing for 8 months in 2014 due to a fire that destroyed most of the restaurant, Juno continues to reinvent itself and its dishes. The renovated bar space located at the front of the restaurant features warmer tones and Japanese-inspired lighting fixtures. The bar serves small dishes and drinks like beer, wine and sake, which is considered Japan’s national drink and is the base for most of their cocktails.

When you walk by the restaurant, you might often see a near-empty bar, but don’t be deterred. At the back is a minimalist formal dining room which is often packed with eager diners waiting to see what Chef B.K. (formerly of Arami) has to offer.

While the restaurant serves its share of sliced sashimi and maki, the side of raw fish is elevated by Chef B.K.’s remarkable skill and creative flair. For instance, the Special Smoked Hamachi is something that has never been seen before. The nigiris, which come with some shiitake and sweet corn, are smoked right in front of you. Other must-try nigiris are Juno’s signature King Nigiri (spicy king crab and tuna with crunchy potato toppings) and Queen Nigiri (spicy scallop and salmon with crunchy potato toppings).

(Photo Credit: Juno Restaurant)

For hot dishes, most patrons recommend the Confit Chicken Wings, which are more like bite-sized pieces of chicken with sweet pepper marmalade, kohlrabi and togarashi.

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