By Rabbi Ronit Tsadok, Director of Project Kavod
Standing in Rosh Hashanah services last week I was struck, as I am every year, by the power of the shofar’s blasts. The shofar (ram’s horn) is sounded several ways – the tekiah is one long blast, shevarim is three medium-sized blasts, and the teruah is a few shorter, staccato blasts. teruah is a number of shorter, staccato blasts.
One explanation for the cries of the shofar is that they represent different ways that we humans cry: wailing, sobbing, short crying where it’s hard to catch one’s breath. Hearing the “cries” of the shofar can stir within us our own cries and help give wordless voice to our pain or grief. Hopefully, the sounds of the shofar also attune us more deeply to the cries of others, spurring us to greater empathy.
Right now, we are experiencing a time of instability and change in our country. As a result, our own cries may be closer to the surface, or we may be helping family or friends who are struggling. Here at JFS, we see how our clients and community members are encountering greater obstacles to receiving the support they need because of government policy changes. Supply to our food bank and food delivery services have significantly decreased while need is higher than before. Since January, refugees have been unable to build new lives in our country and those who are here are struggling to find safety and stability. New rules around social security benefits are making it especially difficult for people who are home-bound or who have mobility challenges to continue receiving what they need.
For those who attend prayer services, the shofar is heard with other people in community. It is a reminder that we are not alone in our striving, in our fears, and in our hopes for the country and world we need. At the end of Yom Kippur on Thursday night we will again hear the shofar, but we will not be listening to the cries as we did on Rosh Hashanah. After a day of introspection and reflection, this final shofar blast represents instead a call to action, our imperative to proclaim freedom throughout the land.
May the shofar blasts of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur carry us into a new Jewish year in which we experience greater connection and empathy and work toward a world of dignity for all peoples.
Shanah tovah u’metukah – may we have a happy and sweet new year.
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