Originally Published January 4, 2024
Dear Temple Shalom family,
As Jews living in Diaspora, we are blessed with many opportunities to celebrate a new year and new beginnings. We toast to the tune of “Auld Lang Syne” on December 31, we may celebrate Lunar New Year with family and friends, and of course, we join together for Rosh Hashanah in the fall. Yet Jewish tradition actually teaches that we have not one, but four New Year celebrations. In addition to Rosh Hashanah, Mishna Rosh Hashanah 1:1 tells us that we also celebrate a new year on 15 Shevat (Tu Bishvat, the New Year of Trees, coming up on January 25!), 1 Nisan (just two weeks before Pesach, known in the Mishna as the New Year of Kings), and 1 Elul (the New Year of the Animals). While in the Mishna each of these dates has a particular legalistic implication, I take it as a reminder that it is never too late to begin again. We are not limited to resolutions in January or teshuva (repentance) in the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Each month, each week, each day, is an opportunity to recommit to being our best selves, as individuals and as a community.
I am so excited that this secular New Year marks the official start of my time as your rabbi. Especially at this time in our Jewish world and in our community, it seems particularly precious to be able to start with a clean slate, to remember what is precious and unique about the Temple Shalom community, and to work together to grow our community and deepen all of our commitment to Am Yisrael, the Jewish people.
I hope to see you and your families at my first Shabbat service on January 20, and in the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at rabbi@templeshalom.ca. I’m looking forward to getting to know each and every Temple Shalom family!
Warmly,
Rabbi Miriam
