In but a few days, 5770 draws to a close and the shofar summons a new year: 5771 begins!

The High Holy Days are an exquisite opportunity to gather in holy community, to reflect upon our highest purpose in life, to discern our sacred values, and to recommit ourselves to our prophetic vision of dignity and justice for all creation.

As we enter the space of the Yamim Noraim—our Days of Awe—I invite you to reflect upon these essential spiritual questions:

• Who am I called to be, and what am I called to do?


• When I am weak, where do I find strength?


• When my vision is dim, where do I find insight?


• How do I maintain my integrity in a world where power, success, and money seem valued above all else?


• How do I cultivate a sense of gratitude in my life?


• How do I integrate the prophetic call for social justice—the demand to redress human suffering—into my life?


• How do I keep the relevant questions of life perpetually before me?


• What are the essential values that need to animate my existence so that I can be a Jew and act as a Jew in the world?


• What is the Jewish people's role in humanity?

Judaism may not provide answers to every question we ask. But soulful study, robust prayer, intelligent discussion, and loving community provide each of us a treasured opportunity to frame the questions which rest upon our souls as we begin the year anew. I look forward to gathering with you during the Yamim Noraim—the Days of Awe—as we raise our voices in prayer and lift up the questions of our souls.

Shanah Tovah U–M'tukah,

Michael

September 2010