My friends,

I’m writing my article today on the Thursday after celebrating Rosh Hashanah with our Congregation Am Hayam community. As I catch my breath and look forward to observing Yom Kippur, a few thoughts run through my mind and a few things I’d like to share.

Clearly Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection. A chance to pause and look back at the year that was. For me, this is always a challenge because I fall into the trap mentioned in the song “To Life!”, from Fiddler on the Roof. The line is “though life be feast or famine, why do we examine famine more than feast”?? I catch myself looking back at times I missed the mark, at mistakes I made in judgement or in facts. I look back at choices I made in anger or hasty judgement. In short, I review and see so often those times I was less than my best self and I beat myself up. At that moment, I have to remind myself “don’t beat yourself up, others will gladly do it for you”. The challenge is to be honest in review but not to be unreasonable with myself. To see where I missed the mark, and to determine how to achieve better in the future. The challenge to be, the best “Ron Goldberg” I can be. That’s a big enough challenge.

Along with that, in that same review, it is so very important to give ourselves credit for what was good. There were many occasions in the past year when I reached my goals in life. Those goals of being of service to G-d, of service to my own communities and to be of service to the larger community around us. How many times did we act responsibly? How often were we the family member, community member and example those around us needed us to be? How many times did we give of ourselves and from the heart? How many times were we of service and how many times did we indeed show ourselves to be our best selves? I feel safe in saying, all of us did those actions more than we give ourselves credit for. We all should not only hold ourselves accountable for those times we missed the mark, but also recognize when we scored a ‘bulls-eye’ and lived our best self.

I spoke in my erev Rosh Hashanah drash about “doing what is right and just in the eyes of the Lord”. As I shared in that moment, it is not always easy to know what the ‘next right thing to do” is. In our humanity, we do make errors. In the world we live in we get confused by the choices and directions. To help frame our reactions and choices, I suggested 2 themes. 1) What did we learn in High School Civics class? Is what we are being presented with, consistent with our understanding of American values and ideals? 2) How does what we are presented with, mesh up with the ideals and values of Jewish theology and practice? When considering how to do ‘what is right and just”, use these two themes as a starting point. They can truly help guide us on the path to take. And when we have doubts and questions, let’s share those doubts and together find the best path.

With the start of the year, I am so much looking forward to a full year with our community. A year of learning both with you all and from you all. In the world I try to live in, we all learn together. I look forward to a year of celebration together of Judaism, of worship together, observing our holidays, faith and traditions. A year of service to the CAH community and the larger community around us. A year of welcoming Shabbat together and enjoying another cholent lunch by Brenda (hint-hint). Honestly one of my favorite things is enjoying our Shabbat lunches together and hearing the stories of others. I am looking towards a year of life together. Where we celebrate together the joys and holding each other in the moments of lows.

My gratitude and thanks to all those who volunteered and helped make our High Holiday services happen. From preparing Apples and Honey, to setting out books, to reading Torah, I am grateful to you all. Your efforts have real value and I thank you.

My wife Judy joins me in wishing everyone a happy, joyful and healthy New Year. My blessing to you is, “may the world be just a little better, just a little brighter, because you were in it”.

G’mar Hatima Tovah-May you be written for a good Year!

Rabbi Ron