When Rabbi Dalia Samansky’s uncle died, her grandmother said, “God has been good to me. He gave me an extra 40 years with Marty.” “I was in awe of her ability to recognize and articulate her gratitude amidst her grief,” she says. “‘When you open yourself up to experience gratitude, you discover with clarity and accuracy how much good there is in your life…’”
“Hayom, the sound of the shofar implores us to wake up,” says Rabbi Sam Natov. “This is the time to allow our hearts to break open. It is only when we are present to that which causes us pain that we can move with it and grow…”
From the summit of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest high in the Bavarian Alps, Rabbi Ammi Hirsch gazed upon now-tranquil Europe and reflected: “The brilliant Jewish intellectuals who helped create and define the Western European golden age and put their faith in the enduring ascent of humanity were unequipped to truly comprehend the ruthlessly evil.” It didn’t have to happen that way, he says. “History is not inevitable.” That depravity “was the result of human will and conscious decisions. We can make a difference. Tomorrow hasn’t happened yet…”
In an increasingly digital world, “we have flattened and simplified our interactions with one another and even, at times, our expectations for ourselves,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov, imagining a world where we always choose community, connection and life… On Erev Rosh Hashanah, she says: “Tonight, we engage in the work of teshuvah as a community. The energy of our prayers is exponentially enhanced by being together. We are spiritually enriched by each other’s presence.”
“Sometimes, we get caught up in what we’ve lost,” says Rabbi Rena Rifkin. “But when we do that, we forget to give kavod to what’s really important… The only thing we really have to worry about losing is ourselves.”
Walking through Amsterdam’s cobblestone streets and looking up at its majestic buildings, “all senses are awakened to the history and memory surrounding you,” says Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz. But what could Moses, in the absence of such material marvels, she wonders, leave as a legacy to our people? She finds her answer in an art exhibit in The Hague…
