Dear congregants, members, supporters, friends—chaverim,

This will be my 5th High Holy Days with you, or to be more precise, my 6th, as Chayim and I joined the congregation exactly 10 years ago for my rabbinic internship at Bet David. Much has changed in the past years, but also many things have remained untouched and sacred, as they have been for so many generations before us.

The High Holy Days are for me this special time of the year, where we live in these “awe“some moments between past, present and future, where we look out for the right balance of ideals and capability, of achievements and failures. For me Rosh Hashanah represents the renewal of our covenant with the Eternal and  every human being, and our wishes to become our better selves.

I look forward to celebrating some very meaningful festival days with you, the beginning of the New Year, and many
more years in your midst.


יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ
יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי
אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמּוֹתֵינוּ
שֶׁתְּחַדֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ
שָׁנָה טוֹבָה וְּמתוּקָה

 Y’hi ratzon mil’fanecha, Adonai Eloheinu v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu,
shet’chadeish aleinu shanah tovah umtukah.

 Our God and God of our ancestors,
Eternal God of all generations:
May Your Presence in our lives
this New Year renew our spirits
and renew our strength.

May it be a good year.

May it be a sweet year.

 

Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah

—Rabbi Adrian M Schell

Mishkan HaNefesh: Rosh HaShanah: Machzor for the Days of Awe (Page 300).