By Eli Bass—Director of Jewish Life
Staying fit and healthy, losing weight, enjoying life more fully and saving more and spending less were the top four goals on New Year’s Eve 2015 according to a survey done by Neilsen. Beyond these goals, the new year is a chance for self-assessment. Who am I? Who would I like to be?
New Year’s is also a moment when we feel deeply vulnerable. Who am I? Who should I be? What will I make of this year ahead? How will I work to connect to the world around me?
As we finish our first month of the school year, I have seen this conversation emerge with a variety of students whom I talk with regularly.
First-year students are discovering how they will be involved on campus. Returning students are assessing how they will be involved this year. Time spent scheduling and setting priorities allows us to set our path in a world with unlimited choices. As we set out on a new year, we go on a journey. We choose our destination and plan out where we would like to go. As with any journey, we know there will be moments when we need to change our paths or plans. We recognize that life is full of uncertainty.
For Jewish students, celebrating Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, is part of this cycle. We eat apples and honey to celebrate and pray for a sweet start to 5777. It is also a committed time to Teshuva—returning to being the people we aspire to be.
Throughout Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we are asked to work on repairing relationships with God, self and other human beings. It is a deeply personal process and one which requires difficult introspection. During the service on Rosh Hashanah there is the blowing of the Shofar, a ram’s horn. This is a reminder to wake up and do the necessary introspective work during this time.
This official process of Teshuva ends on Yom Kippur, which starts on Oct. 11 and concludes on Oct. 12. Most Jews view Yom Kippur as a deeply somber day and deeply challenging, as each individual is said to be judged by God. We reflect on our fragility and moments where we missed the mark. Traditional Jews abstain from sex, leather, food and drink. On Yom Kippur you can often see congregants wearing a suit and flip-flops or other non-leather footwear.
The entire month preceding Rosh Hashanah is considered a time of preparation for the Teshuva that occurs during the high holidays. It is for this reason that some Hasidic Jews view Yom Kippur as the happiest day of the Jewish year. That Teshuva can open up a higher spiritual realm where we don’t crave our most basic desires or needs. Personally, I’ve never quite felt this. I aspire to have a day of atonement with this lightness and joy. Yom Kippur is highlighted by the liturgical Kol Nidre service, which will take place on the night of Oct. 11.
On campus there are many events and programs throughout the Jewish High Holiday season I welcome you to participate in, including transit to Congregation Beth El in Sunbury. For an extensive list, please see our information on our Susquehanna Hillel Facebook page. You can also find registration information on MySU. We welcome Jewish and non-Jewish students at all of our programs.
The traditional greeting for Rosh Hashanah is Shanah Tova U’Mtukah— wishing you a good and sweet Jewish New Year.
Shanah Tova U’Mtukah.
Director’s Discussion reflects the views of an individual member of the religious field. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire university. The content of the Forum page is the responsibility of the editor in chief and the Forum editor
