Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown on Monday evening, September 6 and ends at nightfall, Wednesday, September 8. Dip the apple in honey, hear the Shofar, and take in the awesomeness of the day.

As we prepare for this holiday I'm thinking about a teaching of the Rebbe who said that Rosh Hashanah is the time of the year when we are reminded how one person can improve the whole world.
On Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate the creation of Man, which took place five days after the Universe began. The human being was created different from all other species. Only the human being was created single, a unique individual who can and must bring the rest of creation to its fulfillment.
This is the foundation of our faith; the belief that each one of us has it in his or her power, regardless of wealth or position, to turn the world into a better place, a force for good rather than evil.
Each individual has the ability to produce this kind of harmony, thus following the Will of the Creator.
Each year, when we celebrate Rosh Hashanah, we are reminded of our ability. Each year, Rosh Hashanah gives us a resurgence of the strength needed to fulfill these goals. This is a time for rejuvenation and commitment. A time to clarify our sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Not just now, but forever. L'shana tova. 

Why is this year different than all other years?
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Sounds a bit like Passover… but it's actually already Rosh Hashanah and we are still grappling with the realities of Coronavirus.

And as we deal with these new realities, some of us may be celebrating the holiday and participating in socially distanced services, while others may even be praying alone.

This reminded me of Chanah, who Scripture tells us also prayed alone, while standing distant from others. In fact, her prayer has inspired the prayers of Jews throughout the generations and is read at the Rosh Hashanah service each year.
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On its face, there doesn't seem to be anything too remarkable about what she did. She was pained by her childlessness, and went to the Holy Site to pray.

But in reality, by her actions that day, Chanah displayed the true power of Jewish prayer; she sought to alter not only the physics of nature, but the very nature of theology itself.
To Chanah, a sincere prayer would have the power to break down boundaries. Any boundaries.

So she didn't just ask for a child, she also asked that he be righteous. There goes the limitations and restrictions of nature, asking that a barren woman give birth, and there goes the fundamental principle of free choice, asking that the child be truly righteous.

This is why her prayer is the best blueprint for our prayers and why it plays such an important role in the Rosh Hashanah service. It tells us that nothing is beyond our reach, if we only try hard enough and reach out to G-d with sincerity.

No matter how bleak the odds may seem or how distant that goal, we have the ability to reach it and excel.

So regardless of where you pray this Rosh Hashanah, whether alone at home, or in a socially distanced service, let us each pray for a good year, a year of good health for ourselves, our friends, our city, state and country, and indeed all of humanity.
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Mussie joins me in wishing you all a wonderful Rosh Hashanah! May our homes very soon overflow with friends again. May our year overflow with success and accomplishments. May our hearts overflow with happiness. And may we all be inscribed for a good, healthy, and sweet new year.

This coming week, Jews in South Dakota, Israel and around the world will be celebrating the Jewish New Year known as “Rosh Hashanah.” The holiday begins at sundown on Sept. 20 and ends after nightfall on Friday, Sept. 22.
We observe this day by hearing the sounding of the Shofar (a special ram’s horn crafted for this purpose), praying in Synagogue, dipping an apple in honey and other rituals.
The Jewish Holidays commemorate significant occurrences in Jewish history. Passover, the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Shavuot, the revelation at Mt. Sinai. Sukkot, G-ds protection of the Israelites during their forty year journey through the desert. Yom Kippur, the day of atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf.
Rosh Hashana is different.
The great Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, noted that Rosh Hashanah is in fact relevant and meaningful for all of humanity. It commemorates creation. More specifically, it is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve – the first human beings – as recorded in the Bible.
Like Adam and Eve, who were formed and created by God himself, every human being, of all races and creeds, is created in his image, with a unique purpose that only he or she can fulfill. The shared goal of humanity is to transform this world into a place of goodness and kindness, thereby revealing the inherent divinity within it.
Humans are granted free choice and doing the right thing is not a given. Bringing the world to perfection depends on the choices we each make every day.
Imagine waking in the morning and recognizing that today is a new miracle. We were once again granted the gift of life and as our thanks to God, we chose to make this world even better than it was yesterday. A new day brings new opportunities for good.
By unleashing our potential, we have the power to transform the world. Affix a charity box at your home or office and give a few coins each day for those in need. Add an extra dollar to your employees’ paychecks and encourage them to get involved in charitable acts. Treat others with respect. Show more consideration for your family, friends and neighbors.
One person at a time. One good deed at a time. One good choice at a time.
Rosh Hashanah is the day God judges not only the Jewish people, but all mankind, and indeed all of his creations. As I pray this year and blow the Shofar, all my fellow citizens across the great state of South Dakota will be in my thoughts, to be inscribed and sealed in the book of life for a year of health, happiness, peace and prosperity.