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6- The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday September 1, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate.The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Commentary Guest Columnist NEIL OLIVER Publisher JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Metroland Media Group Ltd. includes: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser, Alliston Herald/Courier, Arthur Enterprise News, Barrie Advance, Caledon Enterprise, Brampton Guardian, Burlington Post, Burlington Shopping News, City Parent, Collingwood/Wasaga Connection, East York Mirror, Erin Advocate/Country Routes, Etobicoke Guardian, Flamborough Review, Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press, Harriston Review, Huronia Business Times, Lindsay This Week, Markham Economist & Sun, Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror, Milton Canadian Champion, Milton Shopping News, MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA CALHOUN Circ. Manager WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver is a division of What happens when I die? Stephen Wise Rabbi, Shaarei-Beth El hat happens when I die? The question that has confounded people for centuries comes particularly into focus in September for the Jewish community as we celebrate the High Holydays. These sacred days begin this year on Wednesday Sept. 12, which in the Jewish calendar is the first day of the month of Tishrei, in the Jewish year 5768 (since the beginning of creation). During the holiday of Rosh Hashanah (the celebration of the new Jewish Year) and Yom Kippur (the day of Atonement) the Jewish community often celebrates by worshipping together at its local synagogue, which for Oakville and surrounding area, is Shaarei-Beth El Congregation on Morrison Road. There we take a cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of our souls. Our tradition teaches that this is the time of year to think back through the year to all the times we sinned, made mistakes, offended others or missed the mark. We are taught that beginning with Rosh Hashana, God opens the book on each person to tally our sins and good deeds and see how they measure up. But as soon as the book is open, we have the opportunity to atone for all our sins. If we have hurt other people, we must go directly to them and ask forgiveness. If we have sinned against God, then God will always accept forgiveness through prayer. This is similar in Christian tradition to the concept of confession. At the end of 10 days, the High Holydays conclude with the end of Yom Kippur where the book of life closes. At that point we hope we are sealed in it for another year of life. As God tallies all the days of our lives, we hope that when we die, we are in a position to enter heaven, Gan Eden. While Judaism certainly believes in the afterlife, we focus more on the world we live in here on earth, so that we don't wait until we die to be a mensch (a good person), but rather we strive each and every day to help other people, serve our community, respect our elders and make the world a better place for everyone. These high holydays are a chance for people to come together to celebrate with our community, tell stories, hear sermons from the pulpit, gather for festive meals and prepare for the coming year. The Jewish new year always coincides with the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year, so there is always a sense of opportunity and fresh starts, for children and adults alike. May we all have a Shana Tova U'metuka, a sweet and good new year. Rabbi Stephen Wise is the spiritual leader and Rabbi of Shaarei-Beth El, a 50 year old congregation here in Oakville, serving all of Halton Region. You can find out more information about SBE by viewing its website www.sbe.org or by calling 905-849-6000. Stephen Wise IAN OLIVER Group Publisher Media Group Ltd. Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News, Napanee Guide, Newmarket/Aurora Era-Banner, Northumberland News, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Oakville Shopping News, Oldtimers Hockey News, Orillia Today, Oshawa/Whitby/Clarington Port Perry This Week, Owen Sound Tribune, Palmerston Observer, Peterborough This Week, Picton County Guide, Richmond Hill/Thornhill/Vaughan Liberal, Scarborough Mirror, Stouffville/Uxbridge Tribune, Forever Young, City of York Guardian RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America W THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: United Way of Oakville TV AUCTION Summer grows wings and flies by in the blink of an eye L aden with lotion, literature and lattés, swim towels tucked under our arms, my wife and I proceed to poolside. It's become a ritual ­ over the course of each summer, my wife and I steal a day, or a half-day, or maybe even just a few hours (whatever the gods will give us) alone out by the pool to worship the sun, to read and relax and get caught up on our lives, sans interruptions from caterwauling kids and cannonball splashes. That we were only able to fit this ritual in during the final week of summer holidays, and that we were only able to steal a half-day, is testament to the type of summer it has been: crazy busy. Crazy fun, mind you, but crazy busy. Sitting and baking under a hot sun, we reminisce on a summer that has grown wings and flown by. Traditionally, at the beginning of each summer we entertain house guests: my wife's sister, her husband and their two daughters. He's an educational administrator, she's a teacher, and long ago they chose to take their talents and work abroad. They've lived in Singapore, Thailand and are now settled in Tanzania. We enjoy hearing about their lives ­ the day-to-day living in a land so foreign, and so very far away -- and we love getting caught up on the year that has expired since we last saw them. At poolside, my wife and I turn our talk to our kids and the summer they've experienced; it's a paradox with which all parents are familiar, while we yearn for adult time away from our offspring, once we've snagged that time, conversation naturally turns to the very kids we've just escaped. Our oldest offspring, Matthew, 21, has been bitten by the travel bug. This sumAndy Juniper mer he loaded his car with three friends, luggage and a map that guided them through Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington. They had a blast. Minutes after his return, he had the entire experience memorialized in pictures and set to music on his laptop. Then he and a friend began counting down until Christmas when they're booked to tour...Tanzania. Our second son, Scott, 17, has had a great summer doing nextto-nothing. Actually, he landed his first job, worked a whack of hours, and found himself with something he'd never previously had: disposable income. And boy did he make use of that money, spending it before it had a chance to burn holes in his pockets. When he wasn't working, or propping up the economy, he hung out with friends. Good for him: when you're 17, there aren't many summers left of simply doing next-to-nothing and hanging out with friends. While we are certain our boys have had an enjoyable summer, our vote for the person who has had the best time goes to our daughter. Haley, 11, spent a ton of time with her cousins (five girls all within two years in age of each other). She attended an overnight camp. She stoked her young passion for horses with two weeks at horse camp. She toured Toronto's nooks and crannies with her mother. She poured her energies into her favourite activity, Irish dancing. And right before our eyes, she not only matured, she blossomed. Talk about an incredible summer! As my wife and I sit out by the pool we reminisce about when we were kids and how summers seemed to stretch out and last forever. Nowadays summers have been affixed with those aforementioned wings, and given the ability to fly. Just yesterday the pool was being opened. And, alas, in some tomorrow in the nottoo-distant future, we'll be putting it to bed for the winter. All of this in the blink of an eye. Andy Juniper can be visited at his Web site, www.strangledeggs.com, or contacted at ajuniper@strangledeggs.com.