"B'Rosh Hashana yikoteivun, b'Yom tzom Kippur yikoteimun..." Ino looks down at her prayer book, trying to work out what the congregation are singing. On Rosh Hashana, the translation says, we consider how judgement is formed; on Yom Kippur, we consider how judgement is sealed.
It has been agreed between Ino, Chouji and Rabbi Nara that Ino would attend Konoha Synagogue for a full Jewish year, in order to get 'the full Jewish experience'. It was fair enough, she thinks; if I'm going to convert to Judaism, I might as well get the practice in. She's been going to synagogue with Chouji for about a year now, on and off, and Rabbi Nara has told her that she needs to attend all the festival services if she's going to convert.
She watches Chouza, her fiance's father, standing on the bimah, shofar in hand, as Rabbi Nara says the blessing. He's been picked to blow it this year. It's a great honour, Chouji says; everyone has to hear the shofar on Rosh Hashana.
"Tekiah!" calls Rabbi Nara, and Ino winces as Chouza blows a long blast on the shofar and the screeching wail goes through her head. It sounds like the sirens that go off in Konoha during a crisis. The shofar sounds over and over again, with one super-long blast at the end. Chouji smiles proudly at his father, who's out of breath and grinning.
Later, in bed, she and Chouji feed each other apples dipped in honey, Chouji taking her sticky fingers in his mouth and sucking them.
Author's note:
Rosh Hashana: the first day of the Jewish New Year
Yom Kippur: the Day of Atonement
Bimah: raised platform in a synagogue where the rabbi and/or the Torah readers stand
Shofar: a horn, usually a ram's horn, that is blown in synagogue on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur
Tekiah: a single, long-ish blast on the shofar