Transcript:

musicambience: members of congregation talkingWe're in Nashville, Tennessee listening to members of Congregation Micah in as they walk to a nearby river. They are preparing to observe the Jewish ritual of Tashlicht. I'm Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet. The word Tashlicht comes from the Hebrew root, "to throw." On the Jewish New Year, Rosh H'Shannah, Jews from around the world engage in the symbolic act of throwing their sins away. Ken Kanter is the rabbi of Congregation Micah.Kanter: And it's really a very simple ceremony. It's as easy as going to a body of water that moves, a river, an ocean, something that has motion to it, or as it's called 'mayim chaim', -- living water -- and casting a piece of bread, or a roll or crumbs into the river. And as you toss them to think of something that you have failed or the sins that you have committed, or the failures that are part of all of our lives and literally doing nothing more than tossing the bread away. Like Rosh H'Shannah, Tashlicht, is observed by Jews every fall. Even though the prayers and songs of the ritual are fixed, it's a practice meant to symbolize personal movement and flow.Kanter: The idea of flowing water comes from the tradition that it has to be living and moving water rather than a lake where the water just sits there, the concept of the tossing of the bread is that it moves downstream. It follows the water.ambience: song, L'Shannah Tova to you and youKanter: And those will be the happiest fish you've ever seen with all the bread tossed their way today.Pulse of the Planet is presented by the National Science Foundation. I'm Jim Metzner.