People ask me all the time about how a good NPOJ should celebrate the New Year. The Millenium no less. I searched the ma'areh mikoimos for some historical halachic perspective. Eppis, a thousand years ago the entire Jewish people celebrated by being persecuted. What good is a holiday without a little persecution?
But in our day, in the absence of persecution, the Ritvah suggests we draw the blinds on Friday night, open a bottle of good champagne (you know what I mean) and make kiddush with Peter Jennings. And in the morning in Shul we criticize the narishkeit in Times Square.
