Religiously speaking, Sunday the 23rd is a free day in the midst of the 4 weeks of the Jewish High Holidays.

In a community where 3 of the 5 City Council members are Jews, City Hall realizes that the High Holidays are the religion’s most special time of year.

Since Judaism lives by the lunar calendar and Culver City does not, organizing community-wide dates months in advance can be tricky — for Jews as well as Gentiles, as you shall shortly see.

This year, the High Holidays begin at what Jews regard as the regular time, mid-September, which was of no help last night.

The Background

Ninety years ago, on Sept. 20, 1917, Culver City was incorporated, regarded as an inanimate form of a C-section, legally speaking.

Someone in City Hall made an executive decision that 90 was a nifty, round number — and cause for Culver City celebrate.

But Sept. 20 this year is a workday, a Thursday.

The next best hope was Sunday the 23rd.

Explaining Choice of Dates

Attuned to the tradition that Jewish holidays begin the night before, Ms. Obrow noted that Yom Kippur starts on Friday the 21st and concludes on Saturday the 22nd.

No problem staging a birthday party on Sunday the 23rd.

Oops, yes, there is, said Councilman Steve Rose.

Was She Wrong?

Sunday is not Yom Kippur, he said. Sunday actually is the second day of Rosh Hashana.

Traditional Jews celebrate 2 days of Rosh Hashana, non-traditional Jews do not.

Cracked Vice Mayor Alan Corlin:

“I guess Culver City’s 90th birthday party is only for less religious Jews.”

The crowd laughed.

The calendar did not.

One Was Wrong, One Was Right

Mr. Rose misspoke. Ms. Obrow was correct. Earlier this morning, Mr. Rose acknowledged his error in a one-paragraph email to Ms. Obrow.

Sunday the 23rd is, indeed, the day after Yom Kippur.

This is a day when many Jews build the succah (or hut) in which they eat and/or sleep throughout the week-long holiday of Sukkot that starts Wednesday the 26th.

Rosh Hashana begins on Wednesday night, Sept. 12.

Can You Hear This?

Mr. Corlin said he dreaded the prospect of staging the birthday film festival at the Vets Auditorium where the acoustics are said to be difficult for persons with perfect hearing. The Pacific Theatre was suggested as an alternative.

Mr. Rose said the festival definitely should not be a free event, that a charge of $5 or $10 should be instituted.

90 Is Not the Cream

Councilperson Carol Gross tried to apply the brakes to early partying. Perspective, perspective, she said, arguinbg that a 90th birthday falls well shy of being a lollapalooza of an occasion.

Culver City should hold “a relatively modest” party this year, she said, conserving its emotions and pennies for the centennial date.

Although dates are encased for all time on the Jewish calendar, it was not immediately known when Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur falls in ’17.

Youth Shall be Served or Not?

One other prickly matter occupied the sometimes- contentious members of the City Council last night.

Normally, the subject of whether to add a member to the Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee would attract a speck of attention.

But Mayor Gary Silbiger made it a cause celebre, seeking to expand the 4-member committee to include a teenager.

Inclusion of young people is a major staple of Mr. Silbiger’s permanent agenda.

4-to-1 Against

The backstory is that his 4 colleagues on the City Council effectively never have forgiven him for defying their wishes last year and organizing a special youth advisory group.

With the firmness of cement, the City Council repeatedly has denied Mr. Silbiger’s blandishments concerning the perceived need for such a committee.

Not long after the latest rejection last summer, the mayor put out the call for volunteers and convened the first in a series of meetings.

Getting Even?

The revenge of the City Council has been its determination not to formally recognize what members perceive as a renegade group.

They were back at it at last night’s meeting.

After softly endorsing the concept of adding a teenager, all 4 members not named Silbiger decided that only the boys and girls in 2 community youth groups would be eligible. They refused, covertly, to include the members of Mr. Silbiger’s advisory committee.

COUNCIL NOTES — Provocatively, Mr. Rose, who has numerous differences with the mayor, said: “Mr. Silbiger seems to be pushing non-licensed businesses in this city.” However, the Councilman declined to name the enterprise he had in mind…

The Council quickly approved a 5-year lease at the Vets Auditorium for the Culver City Historical Society. The perpetual agreement will be renewed annually… On the first anniversary of a unique ordinance for military heroes, members of the Jewish War Veterans organization, with Neil Rubenstein at the fore, thanked the City Council. On Feb. 27 of last year, the City Council approved a new law permitting men with certain license plates to park free anywhere in town. The exemption is spreading to other communities, Mr. Rubenstein said. The veterans fall into 5 categories: Congressional Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, Prisoner of War, Legion of Valor and Pearl Harbor Survivor…