We will welcome everyone into our spiritual home for the High Holidays of 5785 in just a few weeks. Despite all the doom and misery we sometimes read about daily in the world, and even in our own backyard, I am filled with gratitude and anticipation. This year, our theme is “Resilience and Renewal,” a focus that speaks deeply to the heart of our tradition and the journey we undertake during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

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Resilience is the strength we find within ourselves to face challenges, endure hardships, and emerge stronger. Renewal is the opportunity to refresh our spirits, realign our goals, and recommit to our values and community.

 

The story of our people is one of resilience and renewal. We have faced countless adversities throughout history, yet we have always found ways to renew our faith and our lives. This past year, we experienced a profound example of this resilience and renewal in the aftermath of the attack on the border towns and kibbutzim in the south of Israel on October 7.

 

A devastating attack struck Israel, leaving communities shattered and hearts heavy with grief. Many remarkable stories of resilience and hope have emerged amid the chaos and sorrow. I had the opportunity to visit Israel just a month after the attack. We avoided asking the survivors if they thought they would return to their communities. It was too soon to ask, too soon for them to answer. 

 

Since that time, against all odds, reconstruction in many of the cities and kibbutzim is already well underway. Amidst the devastation, organizations from across Israel and the diaspora came together to help rebuild. They answered the unasked question. 

 

I read one particular story that seems so trivial, but in many ways represents how important the little things we do to rebuild and renew reflect our resilience. A young girl, who had lost her father in the attack, planted a tree in his memory. This act of planting a tree, a symbol of life and growth, served as a poignant reminder that even in the darkest times, there is hope for renewal and a future filled with promise. She did not dedicate a building or build a large stone monument. She simply planted a tree, a tree that represents life in the midst of so much loss and devastation. 

 

This year, as we approach Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the idea of Resilience and Renewal is ever so poignant. It is a time for self-reflection, for setting new intentions, and for seeking ways to better ourselves and our world. The sounding of the shofar is a call to wake up, to shake off the dust of the past year, and to embrace the possibilities of the new one.

 

The New Year offers us a chance to cleanse our souls. It is a time of introspection, prayer, and repentance. It is a time to acknowledge our shortcomings, seek forgiveness, and commit to making amends. The High Holidays teach us that resilience is not only about enduring but also about having the courage to change and renew our commitment to a life of righteousness and compassion.

 

In these sacred days, let us draw inspiration from the story of the survivors of October 7th and those who are coming together to reestablish life on the Gaza border. Let us find the strength to rebuild what has been broken in our own lives, to renew our spirits, and to support one another in our journey towards a brighter future.

 

May this New Year bring you and your loved ones health, happiness, and peace. May we all find the resilience to face our challenges and the spirit of renewal to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.

 

Shanah Tovah Umetukah,

 Rabbi Bradley Tecktiel