Sign In Forgot Password

Wonderings 33 New Year / New You?

This week I am wondering about how we see the "secular new year" differently than the Jewish New Year. Is the beginning of 2023 going to make me think differently about myself and my "resolutions" than the beginning of 5783?

Some things are similar: I guess we have noise makers for 2023's party potentially, and we have shofar to make noise for 5783. I have a new calendar to start my new year - in fact, I get many free ones mailed to me - for both 5783 and 2023. I do like to spend some time reflecting on the past year, and trying to make plans for the new year. I will neither confirm nor deny whether I am awake at midnight at the beginning of both of these new years (Rosh HaShanah is a stressful time that keeps me from sleeping, and I feel like I spend all night trying to find a way to watch the ball drop for the new secular year).

I realized that I honestly do treat these new years differently. It is not just that I don't usually have sparkling grape juice for kiddush for Rosh HaShanah, but I have already bought sparking grape juice for our Oneg Shabbat (on Zoom) for this weekend's new year. My reflections and plans are very different for each of these types of new years as well. 

I honestly did do a heshbon hanefesh - a soul searching review of myself at the High Holy Days. I think about what kind of person have I been the past year. In what ways did I fall short of who I want to be? In what ways did I make bad choices, and how can I fix those things, and how can I avoid making those choices in the future. What are ways that I can improve who I am?

For 2023 I realized that I think about the things that happened. I look back at health situation, lifecycle events, job-related things. I wonder not so much about my spiritual well-being, but my physical well-being. What are ways that I can improve how I am?

At Rosh HaShanah I reflect more. At the beginning of January I look ahead more. 

I do try to make resolutions about health and travel for the secular year. I try to make resolutions about how I treat others for the Jewish new year. 

At the beginning of the Jewish new year  I look forward to spending more time with my spiritual family - that means you. At the beginning of the Secular new year I look forward to seeing my friends more - and that means you.

This week I am wondering: What are ways that you see the Jewish new year and the Secular new year differently? In what ways do you celebrate differently? In what ways are you committing to seeing your friends and family (and our Congregational family) more? In what ways do you make different kinds of resolutions for each?

Once again, I want to thank everyone who has responded to my  "Wonderings."  You are always welcome to respond to any of the questions I have asked by calling or emailing, no matter how long ago the question was originally posed. You can also choose to keep your replies totally private, and not be posted on the Responses page. I always try to remove personal / identifying details when I do post the replies. 


Return to Wonderings main page: CLICK HERE

Responses:

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784