Two reasons to write a short post tonight:
First, A CORRECTION on the next Rosh Chodesh walk – it is Friday, February 16, not Thursday! Every now and then we have a two-day Rosh Chodesh according to the Jewish calendar. When this happens, the first day of the month occurs on the second day of the new moon. In keeping with our policy to always meet on the first day of the new month, we will meet on Friday the 16th this month. My bad!
Second, the full moon this month, which coincided with Tu B’Shvat as it always does, was a sight to behold. This year’s Tu B’Shvat full moon on January 31 happened to be a coincidence, the first since 1982: a blue, super, blood moon. “Blue” because it was a second full moon in a calendar month; “super” because it was one of the times in the year when the moon is closest to the earth, and appears up to 15% larger; and “blood” because it was a lunar eclipse, with the shadow of the earth on the moon turning the moon a blood red, where it is visible. The eclipse was not so visible in Cleveland this year – but the night was beautiful nonetheless. Here are an afternoon photo (from me), two beautiful late-night photos (from friend Mimi Plevin-Foust), and a blood moon photo from Wikimedia Commons, taken in Kuwait by Irvin Calicut on January 31. Enjoy, and see you next Friday! — Kirby
Rosh Chodesh Cleveland 