(no longer) The Northernmost Jew

Last Shobbos was the one closest to the summer solstice. Candle lighting time was 11:24 pm on Friday. Havdalah was 2:02 am Sunday morning. (source: The calendar from the Lubavitch Jewish Center of Alaska)

Since 1906, Fairbanks has had a tradition of "Midnight baseball". Every year, on the longest day of the year, the Alaska Goldpanners baseball team plays a game. The game begins at 10:30 pm and mostly ends sometime between 1 and 2 am. They do not use (or need) any artificial lights. In Fairbanks the sun dips below the horizon for about an hour, but it is still very light out. This year the Oceanside Waves beat the Alaska Goldpanners 5 to 1. Every year they invite a different, out-of-state team to play.

There is a short break at midnight to sing "Alaska's Flag", the state song.

Here is a picture of the signpost at the entrance to a walking trail at a park in SE Anchorage. The top sign is always there. The others are added as wild animals are spotted. In case you can't make them out, here is what thet say:

1. MULTI-USE CORRIDOR (this is the permanent sign)

2. "BEAR ALERT,'' read the words splashed above a snarling bear drawing on the uppermost sign.

3. "Please be aware,'' said the sign below. "Very protective cow (moose) with two babies."

4. "MOOSE ALERT,'' read the headline above the drawing of a bull moose on the sign at the bottom.