Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Yael Splansky

Dear Holy Blossom Families,

We can’t wait to welcome your children back to Holy Blossom Temple.  We have a wonderful year of growth and discovery ahead of us.

As you prepare to return to school, we want you to know we are thinking of you and wishing you well.  We share this prayer with you to mark the milestone in the life of your family.

A Back-to-School Prayer

Our God and God of our Ancestors:

Protect, guide, and uplift our children as they return to their schools.
May they know good health and the joy of discovery.
May they know the warmth of good friends, the laughter of unstructured play,
the strength of teammates, and the comfort of community.
May they witness the inspiration of dedicated teachers,
the influence of thoughtful role models,
and the vision of how to create a better world for their generation
and the generations to come.
May they know that they are loved and supported.
May they know the blessings of their people, the safety of their land,
and the strength of their faith.
May they know peace and also resilience, hope and also hard work,
dreams and also practical skills.
May they grow in mind, body, and spirit.
May they know kindness and compassion — receiving it and offering it –
each and every day.

And let us say, Amen!

We wish you and those you love a L’Shanah Tovah!

How to Elevate your High Holy Day Experience  

The current month of Ellul is a gift to help us prepare more deeply, so we can greet the New Year with curiosity, courage, and compassion.

• Join our Rabbis, Cantors, and Educators for mid-day “Jewels of Ellul” for 20-30 minutes of study and reflection.
• Join in the weekday morning minyan – in-person or online — and stand to hear the blast of the shofar.
• Enjoy next week’s Nashuva Retreat on Lake Rosseau, co-sponsored by Holy Blossom Temple.
• Attend Selichot-in-the-Round and be uplifted by the music of longing and change.
• Choose from among the questions below.  Reflect on them.  If you are a writer, make some notes or write a letter to yourself and open it next Ellul.  These questions are not a test, only prompts.

Asking the BIG Questions

1. What are my three most significant achievements of the past year?
2. What are my biggest regrets of the year past?
3. What are the important decisions I need to make for this coming year?
4. What important decision did I avoid making last year?
5. If I knew I couldn’t fail, what project or goal would I undertake?  Is there some element of it I can pursue anyway? What’s my best first step?  Who can help me with this project?  What resources can I tap?
6. Over the last year, did my most important relationships become closer and deeper, or was there a sense of stagnation and drifting? What can I do to nurture those relationships this year?
7. What worthy causes do I want to support this year with my time, talent, and treasure?
8. When do I feel my life is most meaningful?  How can I further devote myself to increase those moments of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment?
9. What do I want written on my headstone? And how do I begin living that way now?

This is the time to hold up the mirror and see our life, our character, our dreams more clearly.  The pandemic has forced us to ask small questions.  It’s time to turn to the bigger questions once again.  Let’s find the confidence to do so by turning towards God, who is the Source of All Life.

Shabbat Shalom and L’Shanah Tovah!