A reflection by Stacy Shapiro, Northeast Regional Director
I love the tradition of having apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah. Apples, to me, are a little sour, and, of course, honey is sweet. We combine the sour and sweet to remember the difficult parts of the year and be grateful for the positive, especially the people that enrich our lives.
Rosh Hashanah lets us begin again, every year. By beginning with intentional introspection (engaging in Teshuvah and looking inside ourselves) on Rosh Hashanah, and continuing with forgiveness, gratitude and joy on Yom Kippur, Sukkat and Simchat Torah, Judaism frames some of the core values in these holidays that we can live by. During these holidays, we come together in community, forming connections that enrich our lives. Moving Traditions has embraced these values in shleimut (wellbeing), hesed (Caring Connections) and tzedek (Justice).
With this in mind, Rabbi Mychal Copeland* gives us an inspiring story of gratitude and justice. These are her words:
Which is more important: Struggling to mend our broken world or appreciating what we have been given? We cannot do one without the other.
The Jewish people are given two names in the Torah. Leah names her fourth son Yehuda, “gratitude.” “Yehudim” means “Jews,” or more literally, “the thankful ones.” Jacob struggles with an angel who bestows him a new name. “Yisrael,” meaning “struggles with God.” We are wrestlers. We will fight until dawn and not despair, no matter how bleak it looks.
How can we be both the thankful ones, grateful for what is, and also be the ones who struggle because it isn’t good enough? How do we live in awe of life if it is also in our nature to say, “This world should be better”? We must be comfortable living in the paradox.
It has been suggested: a person should carry in each pocket a slip of paper with one of our names. One reads, “I am Yehuda: I am grateful for what is, “while the other reads, “I am Yisrael: I will always fight to make it better.”
This year, may we use gratitude to light a spark within ourselves and find the strength and joy to be a light for others in our life and in this world.
For Discussion
- What and who are you grateful for this year?
- What were some of the struggles you went through?
- What can you help to change in your world this year?
*From the book, Pirkei Imahot, The Wisdom of Mothers, The Voices of Women by Rabbi Eve Posen and Lois Sussman Shenker