Jewish Life Digital Edition September 2015 | Page 58

ROSH HASHANAH 5776

KEEPING IT REAL

throughout the year
Rosh Hashanah is a day of inspiration, groundbreaking resolutions, and
life-changing moments of motivation. Too often, our resolve to change
slips quietly away and we miss the chance to act. How
can we make those moments last? We asked some of
“The
same
our readers for their advice… I BY CHANDREA SEREBRO
way
not t
w
“Every day is faced with challenges of
some sort. Some are good and some are
hard! I try to see painful lessons as blessings. In other words, remain focused on
the blessing from the lesson that your
challenge taught you. Every day is a new
beginning.” Anonymous
“Rosh Hashanah is the time to pause,
stop, reflect, and be grateful for all
that we have – health, family and
friends! And, then start again, in the
hope that we do things better in the
year ahead. Take this lesson of gratitude with you through the year and it
can change your life in so many positive ways.” Justine Sandler
“During the Shemonei Esrei of the
Neilah service on Yom Kippur, I insert a
resolution for the coming year – something thought out, well planned, that
can be executed. The trick to making
this practical and doable going forward
is to make a weekly time where you focus on this resolution. That way, every
week, even if it’s for just a few moments, you are reminded at the same
time of what it is you have committed
to improving in your life. If you can do
this, you are one step closer to real
change.” Romy Michelson

54 JEWISH LIFE ■ ISSUE 88

“I believe the way to make Rosh Hashanah real and lasting is to regard it
as a way of life, not just two awesome,
and often very scary, days in the year.
It’s about becoming accustomed to
watching how we live every day, all the
time. To keep consciously choosing
love and forgiveness, and watching
how we speak to people... and about
people, every day.” Linda Levy
“Ever since my father-in-law got sick, he
started a tradition that every Rosh Chodesh the whole family gets together for
a meal. We rotate it around different
family members’ houses, or sometimes
it’s a picnic at a park or a trip to a restaurant, but we always have a meal together. It’s so hard with everyone’s busy lives
to have time to see anyone on a regular
basis, but this guarantees th at the family
gets to be together at least once a
month. Rosh Chodesh is always a special
time as we get to reflect on the previous
month and celebrate the coming one,
and all it will bring, whether it’s family
members’ birthdays or yomim tovim. So
too, Rosh Hashanah, as the ultimate
Rosh Chodesh. It’s a new start, a time to
be together and focus on what’s past and
what’s to come.” Ester Unterslak

e ask
o jud
ge us
G-d
not j
too h
udgi
a
ng ot
rshly
impo
,
hers
rtan
i
s
a
t
princ
very
reme
iple t
mber
o
. You
idea
h
ave n
what
o
anot
is exp
her p
erien
e
r
son
cing
so do
in th
n’t a
e
i
s
r
s
u
life,
Gabb
me a
i Kop
nyth
elowi
ing.”
tz An
uch
in

“As parents, we get so upset when our
kids fight, it’s probably the biggest upset to most moms on a daily basis. On
Rosh Hashanah, I think of myself as
Hashem’s child and how much it must
hurt him when I’m not doing what I
should be, or behaving with the correct derech eretz that I know to be
true and right. Thinking this way more
often can help change the way we act.”
Lezanne Gochin
“Your Rosh Hashanah is only real if you
acknowledge and accept your Yiddishkeit
the whole year round. How to do this?
Try finding something that will help you
connect, no matter what. Something that
you relate to, that is doable, that can inspire you – even when you’re in the furthest, darkest place from the holiness of
Rosh Hashanah.” Eli Michal JL