Apples & Honey
moocowinthecity So the Jewish New Year is upon us! It’s a time for reflection, for thinking back over the past year and figuring out what we did well, what we didn’t do too well on, where we screwed up, what we did wrong and thinking about what we can do better next time.
It’s a happy time, even sitting on the bus as I made my way to Kibbutz Zikim to spend the holidays with my adoptive Kibbutz Family I felt relieved…sort of like tar, or gunk was just spiritually removing itself…on a non meta-physical level, it’s that time of the year where we get to forgive ourselves, our families, our friends, our colleagues and say “okay…clean slate everyone.”
The interesting part about it is that Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, while both religious in nature, don’t require God to function. Yes, those of us who are religious or spiritual are are praying to God in someway, for forgiveness. We are asking Him to write us in the book of life for a good and sweet year, one that was better than the last, one where we can overcome problems that had stumped us, one that will give us an opportunity to do better this time…but this is also a time when secular Jews feel they can take part in the celeberation as well and say “happy new year and I’m sorry” which is important too. It’s an annual day of reconciliation for an entire tribe of people who find themselves at all corners of the world.
So, Happy New Year to all! May it be nothing but a sweet, joyful, wonderful, healthy and prosperous year for everyone! L’Shana Tova uMetukah!
