Rosh Hashanah just finished and we are still processing what a beautiful and inspiring holiday it was.
moving Tashlich & Shofar at the Grist Mill, to the more intimate crowd of the second day services and all of the extra Shofar Blowing visits to the homebound and to local nursing homes, all of it has left us aching, but so grateful to be able to be a part of this wonderful community.
Over Rosh Hashanah, we also had so many profound conversations where deep sentiments were shared, tears were shed or where an inner happiness shone through. I have been left with lots of food for thought, inspiration and joy and lots of follow up work to continue doing.
Each Shofar Blowing is unique, whether it is at Chabad in the tent, or at the beautiful Wayside Inn Grist Mill, or on the streets of Sudbury, or outside the front door of people's homes. Yet there was one Shofar blowing that touched me more than any others.
On Tuesday we walked over to the Bridges at Sudbury and ran a Rosh Hashanah Ceremony for the many Jewish residents and some family members. We sang together, we ate, and we spoke and chatted and of course we blew the Shofar.
From there we went to visit other people in their homes and apartments, and then I remembered that someone had asked me to visit their friend in another nursing home.
We arrived thinking that she was the only Jewish resident and the staff were so happy that we came and could celebrate with her. We asked the wonderful staff member if perhaps there might be other Jewish people who would appreciate this visit. She checked and five minutes later, a lovely couple were wheeled in to join us.
Here too, we sang, celebrated, spoke and then blew the Shofar. It was then that the couple told us, that this is their first Rosh Hashanah in a Nursing Home, and the first time in their lives that they had not joined in a service and heard the Shofar and they were very sad and feeling really down that day, and were in complete and utter shock when we came in.
In the room there were just us four visitors and three Jewish residents, and it may have been one of the smallest Rosh Hashanah ceremonies we did this year. Yet the happiness and emotions in their faces just from being able to hear the simple sound of the Shofar and to be able to sing along a few Rosh Hashanah melodies, had a unique touch to it, that was different than all of the other ceremonies that we celebrated this Rosh Hashanah.
The Shofar speaks to each of us differently, it simple sounds reminds us of our inner innocence, of our family, of our grandparents and childhood, of hope and the future, of our faith in G-d and aspirations for the world. Our ears are still reverberating with sounds of the Shofar that we have just heard, and with it a call to action, to make 5783 an even better year for the world, and our communities, families and self.
Wishing everyone a truly great start to this New Year and thank you again to everyone who was able to join us over the course of Rosh Hashanah.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who volunteered and helped make this holiday so special. From Fran, Toby, Talya &">Shmuel Freeman for leading many of the services, to my son Mendel and of course Shayna for all of their non stop and incredible help, to Signal88 Security, to the Sudbury Police Department, to all of the volunteers who ran the beautiful children's programs and everyone else who helped and I forgot to mention.
Yisroel