Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the new year, which means that 12 months have elapsed since we last sounded the shofar, ate an apple dipped in honey, and glanced at our watches, wondering when the davening will conclude. The older one gets, the faster time seems to pass, and it seems as if last Rosh Hashanah took place just a few months ago.
This past year, much like the preceding one, has been filled with a vast array of unpredictable events and tragedies, as well as miraculous occurrences, joyous occasions, and the routine of everyday life. Here, then, are a few suggestions on how we can approach the coming year in a way that will make life more enjoyable, creative, and meaningful.
Take an early morning walk through the city: Although my Facebook feed is filled with ads for chair yoga and tai chi exercise for men over 60, I find that walking clears my mind better than just about anything else. And what better place to do that than the streets of Jerusalem? Not midday Jerusalem, when the roads and the sidewalks are jammed with traffic and the sound of jackhammers fills the air.
Rather, Jerusalem at 6:30 in the morning, when the sun has just risen, the stores are still closed, and quiet reigns. The silent contemplation and sheer enjoyment of walking through the city is a joy.
Schedule a karaoke singalong with your family: If we have learned anything from the experiences of the past year, it is the importance of family and friends and being there for one another. Is karaoke hokey? Absolutely. However, few family activities are as enjoyable as a karaoke night.
Our youngest daughter is getting married next week. In honor of her upcoming marriage, we recently gathered with our married children and their spouses, together with the soon-to-be bride (the groom was in reserves), for a karaoke evening in the center of Jerusalem. The laughter, enjoyment, and the mostly-on-key vocals are still echoing in my mind weeks later.
Purchase the Four Species at a Sukkot fair: Over the past 10 days, I have received numerous emails from organizations and individuals offering lulav and etrog sets for sale. Like most retail products, they are sold in various gradations – good, better, and best. While it is nice to order online, the real action can be found in Mea She’arim and other locations, where one can examine, view, and check out the citron, palm branch, willows, and myrtles to one’s heart’s content. Perhaps the best reminder of the fragile nature of life is considering the fact that these ritual items, which can cost hundreds of shekels, will be worth almost nothing just a week later.
Take a moment and enjoy a good meal or a conversation: There are joyous moments in life, and there are sad moments. No one can tell anyone to always be happy. Over the past two years, this point has certainly been apparent. Yet, I would submit that taking a moment occasionally to enjoy a good meal or even a kind word with a friend can inject a note of cheer into life, which these days is often complicated and not simple. On my aforementioned walk through the streets of Jerusalem, I came across a sign in front of a restaurant that perhaps epitomizes this message: “People who love to eat are the best people.”
Visit the Western Wall: If you live in Jerusalem, hop on the No. 1 bus and visit the Western Wall. It’s just a 17-minute ride from the Central Bus Station. Until 1967, visiting the wall was an impossibility, as the Old City was under Jordanian control. For most readers, of course, that seems eons ago, but there is still a significant number of people who remember a time when the prospect of visiting the Kotel was considered as likely as the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series.
There are different ways in which visitors can approach a visit to the wall. For some, due to its proximity to the Temple Mount, it is considered a place for prayer. Others may view it as a major historical and archaeological site. Still others derive spiritual benefit from the fact that it is a gathering place for Jews from around the world. During Sukkot, tens of thousands flock to receive the priestly blessing during Hol Hamoed, known as the Birkat Kohanim. I prefer visiting at quieter times, during the afternoon and evening, when one can gain a sense of spirituality in a more tranquil setting.
Drive through Jerusalem and absorb the changing scenery and landscape: On a recent visit to Jerusalem, while stopped at a red light, I counted no fewer than nine cranes dotting the landscape. Although I live in Beit Shemesh, I am frequently in Jerusalem visiting children, grandchildren, and other relatives. Every time I visit the city, it seems as if a new road has been built, a new overpass has been added, or a traffic circle that did not exist the week before has suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Try out a different synagogue: If you are a regular synagogue attendee or an occasional synagogue visitor, make a temporary switch from your regular house of prayer and try one of the many different kinds of synagogues in Jerusalem. A quick Internet search provides wildly different estimates as to the number of synagogues in the capital, ranging from 300 to more than 1,200. Regardless, there is a great variety of synagogues and different styles of prayer, such as Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Edot Hamizrach, and Nusach Ari.
Attending a different synagogue – even once or twice – will expose you to the colorful mosaic of Jewish life in the city and may provide you with a new outlook to prayer. Or it may make cause you appreciate your favorite synagogue even more. Several years ago, while spending Shavuot in Jerusalem, I was on my way to the morning services when a man came out of an apartment building of an old building in Rehavia and asked me if I would join their services, as they were short of the necessary number for a minyan. I agreed, and I enjoyed a thoroughly different service, one that I might not have experienced otherwise.
By the time you read these words, Rosh Hashanah will have passed and we will be approaching Yom Kippur. In that spirit, as the saying goes, “May the new year begin, along with its blessings.”