When you wake up every day, who thinks about this? People take it for granted that the sun's there every day. It hits a little closer to home.
-JoAnn Graham, York Township.
Before dawn Wednesday, more than 75 people gathered inside Temple Beth Israel in York Township to celebrate the heavens' return to their positions at the beginning of time.
The blessing of the sun, or Birchat HaChama in Hebrew, comes 'round once every 28 years on the Jewish calendar.
Environmental concerns, including awareness about global warming, helped bring global attention to the event, which until this year was little known outside the Orthodox Jewish community.
The occasion salutes the precise moment the sun returns to the same place in the sky, at same time of day and on same day of the week as when God created it. This is according to the celestial calculations of Talmudic sages.
"We are not worshipping the sun. We are worshipping God, who created the sun and who created all things," Rabbi Jeffrey Astrachan explained to the crowd.
Many who gathered Wednesday hadn't previously heard of the ritual, they said. Most were members of the Reform congregation, but several visited from Luther Memorial Lutheran Church across the street and from Tidings of Peace Mennonite Church in York.
At 6:40 a.m., Astrachan announced the sunrise.
"It's the exact moment God placed the sun in the sky 5,769 years ago at the moment of creation," he said.
"Whoa," 7-year-old Estelle Chock said from the front row.
"'Whoa' is right," Astrachan said, chuckling.
By coincidence, the solar celebration also fell on the same day as the first night of Passover -- a coupling that has happened only three other times, he said.
On his guitar, Astrachan accompanied the singing, including a hymn made popular by Cat Stevens.
Morning has broken/ like the first morning ...
The assembly moved outside into the sunlight for the sounding of the shofar, a horn traditionally used to announce special occasions.
"I'm here with my 7-year-old daughter because there's only going to be a couple times we can share this together," said Estelle's mother, Fran Chock of Spring Garden Township.
"Next time, she'll be 35, and I'll be 80."
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