| October 2025
Reconnecting in 5786 Friends, This bulletin is likely landing in your mailbox either just before or, more likely, just after Yom Kippur. The New Year, 5786, is here. Over the High Holy Days, some of you have heard my sermons. Yet, due to our publication schedule, even as I write this article, my sermons are not fully written. Regardless, I can say with certainty that in my sermons, I have tried to address the challenges we face as American Jews—confronting the upheaval we see in America and the lingering crisis in Israel. Here at home, we face a political, social, and economic landscape of extreme polarization. Our homeland, Israel, is becoming ever more isolated on the international stage. It is seemingly impossible not to get caught up in the anxiety of any moment. Every minute of every day brings a new news post, podcast, Substack, YouTube video, or whatever media feed, with the latest attack, tragedy, statement, or decision that leaves our heads spinning, wondering what could possibly be next. The most profound anxiety stems from our lack of any control over any of it. Yet this seeming lack of control is merely a sensation reinforced by hyperconnectivity, giving us the illusion that the weight of the entire world is on our shoulders all the time. If I’ve described you, there is a way out: disconnect. Put your smartphone down, turn the TV off, and close your computer. Then selectively reconnect. Reconnect with the things that are closest to you. The most important things in your life—the things over which you can have the most control—are necessarily going to be the things that are very close to you. Reconnect with your family members, pets, friends, and neighbors. Reconnect with your local community. Find out what is happening in your own town and go check it out. Make a point of saying hello to a new person. Nothing can replace the warmth of meeting a friend, new or old, face-to-face. Reconnect with your Jewish community. If you are reading this article, Temple Emanu-El is your community. Come to services, take a class, enjoy a program, or volunteer—we can always use your helping hand. Most importantly, reconnect and ground yourself within your Judaism. Our religious and ethical traditions have withstood the test of time. Our sacred texts are filled with wisdom that is just as applicable in the modern world as in the ancient. Connecting with the Jewish community can provide respite from our chaotic world, but the real power of Judaism lies in our moral and ethical traditions. They provide the lens to make sense of the world and chart a safe course through stormy seas. Kohelet said there is nothing new under the sun, and Ben Bag Bag said of the Torah, “Turn it, turn it, for everything is in it.” Bottom line: ground yourself close to home, recharge yourself with your Judaism, and in time you’ll find the weight of our world bearable. Blessings for health and happiness in this New Year. L’Shana Tovah, |