A High Holiday message from Rabbi Shai

This has been a challenging year for Jews. The horrific attack on Oct. 7, 2023 in Israel to the increased amount of anti-Semitism on our college and university campuses has left many of us feeling emotionally spent. Even though this is nothing new to the Jewish people historically, it is something many of us have not experienced in our lifetime. It’s one thing to study it in history books but another to be the ones to witness it happening.

The Jewish New Year and the day of atonement is fast approaching. Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Oct. 2 and Yom Kippur begins at sundown on Oct. 11. It is the time of the year for prayer and soul searching. We reflect on ourselves and the way we treat others. Did we give ourselves grace for focusing on the safety of our college age student? Did we ignore someone in need? And how kindly did we treat those closest to us like our spouse and children?

As Jews we can’t just pray our bad deeds away. We are also commanded to confront those we’ve hurt and to apologize to them. It’s not an easy task. G-d doesn’t mean for it to be easy. The process of apologizing to someone (whether they accept it or not) is about accountability. It is an active way of taking steps to improve ourselves. This process is called Teshuvah. It teaches all of us that even if we make a mistake and hurt others, we have the opportunity and ability to make positive changes. We may not be able to fix our past BUT we can learn from it and do better moving forward.

As difficult as this year has been for many in my community it’s important we take this time to celebrate and to reflect. Let’s take a breath to rejuvenate our souls. We deserve it. Let’s turn the darkness we’ve been feeling into light as we head into this Jewish New Year of 5785. Allow that light to bring warmth, love and healing to those around us. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

May the New Year bring comfort to those in Israel who have been suffering since Oct. 7, 2023. May those loved ones who are still waiting for 101 hostages to be released be given a miracle in this New Year. And may those in this community find peace, joy and fulfillment.

Shanna Tova U’metukah.

Rabbi Jeshayahu ‘Shai’ Beloosesky is the rabbi at Temple Avodah, a Reform synagogue at 3050 Oceanside Road.