ROSH HASHANAH 5787 SECTION D, PAGE 24
Hillel Goldberg:
From the micro to the macro: I pray for my heightened focus on each and every word in our prayers and for health for our whole family — and for the excision of the hatred that besets our people and the end to weapons that threaten our people. Beyond that, I am moved anew by the universal reach of Rosh Hashanah.
Chaim Goldberg:
For the upcoming year, I pray for the redemption and rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. I pray for peace: physical peace, spiritual peace, and verbal peace.
I pray for the physical and psychological well-being of all, but especially for the IDF soldiers, the reservists and their families. Especially, those suffering in silence from PTSD.
I pray that we are able to debate ideas, not demonize people. I pray that the upcoming election season in Israel somehow gives way to greater unity and not, G-d forbid, greater division.
Steve Mark:
My message to all is simple: May the coming year be filled with health, happiness and fulfillment.
Larry Hankin:
May this New Year bring us the courage to begin again, the wisdom to learn from yesterday, and the strength to make tomorrow better.
May we be kinder in our words, more generous in our judgments, and more grateful for the blessings we sometimes overlook.
May we cherish those we love, remember those who need us, and find ways to bring light into the lives of others.
May the year ahead be one of health, peace, purpose and sweetness — for ourselves, for our families, for our community, and for all who share this world with us.
L’shanah tovah tikateivu v’teichateimu — may we all be inscribed and sealed for a good and meaningful year.
Lori Aron:
May the New Year deliver us a world full of mutual understanding, with peace and mutual acceptance. We pray that Hashem, as always, will continue to deliver us from the growing scourge of hate, anger and unfounded blame. I wish the community and my family good health and happiness. Am Yisroel Chai!
Jordan Friedman:
Rabbenu Bachya wrote of combating evil, “If one can intercede physically and does not, he is deficient. If one cannot intercede physically, he must object verbally. If one cannot object verbally, he should do so in his heart.”
This teaching should be in the reverse. If one cannot discern good from evil to object in his heart, he will not object verbally. If one will not raise his voice to object verbally, he will not find the courage to stand up in protest. If he lacks the courage to stand up physically in protest against evil, he is deficient.
May these Yamim Noraim fill your soul with yirat Hashem, the fear of G-d that teaches discernment of good from evil which is the fuel burning within the Jewish heart to speak and to stand for righteousness.
Lucy Sullivan:
I am not of Jewish faith by birth but I am of Jewish faith by heart. During my six-plus years with IJN I have experienced a very close relationship with my co-workers who have treated me like family. Through them I’ve learned a lot (and still learning) about the Jewish faith.
I would like to wish my work family and all the wonderful families of this world a joyous and peaceful New Year!
Kathi Handler:
As a new year begins, take a moment to pause and solve the mystery of what’s ahead.
Here is to a meaningful Rosh Hashanah where every clue points to a sweet year, and every puzzle leads to creative solutions.
Shana Tovah from our puzzle desk — may your name be inscribed and well-inked in the Book of Life!
Shana Goldberg:
For my Rosh Hashanah prayer this year I’d like to share a life hack I discovered last year. It’s going to sound stressful, but if you see it through, you will end up the opposite of stressed.
Get a calendar. Gather the schedules of any people you’d like to spend time with in the upcoming year. In your calendar, mark all the days that you are not available. Do the same with the schedules of all the people you reached out to. More and more dates will be crossed out.
The amazing thing is that at the end, instead of crosses, you will see the blank spaces. Instead of focusing on the challenges of work, school and religious schedules, the limitations become freedom.
Limitation and responsibility often carry a negative association. When I saw a year open up in front of me with clear opportunities to fulfill my wish of visiting more friends and family, I internalized Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ lesson that responsibility means freedom. It sounds counterintuitive, but liberty cannot exist without obligations, so undertaking responsibilities enhances liberty. It’s a matter of perspective.
Less really is more. By determining unavailability, you secure availability.
Karen Galatz:
Peace for our world and for our hearts.
Health, happiness, and a bisl humor.
It’s a lot to wish for. A lot to pray for, but why not?
L’shanah tovah tikateivu v’teichateimu.
© IJN 2026
