A message from Rabbi Sara Abrams
As we approach Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, 5785 we find ourselves at a sacred threshold—an opportunity to reflect, renew, and embrace the promise of transformation. This year, hope may be difficult to muster as we look out on the devastating war and the multiple fronts that Israel is now battling. We have been humbled and frightened by the events of October 7, the slaughter of innocents, a realization of our vulnerability as Jews in the increasingly anti-semitic landscape in the United States and abroad. This time, like many others in our history, has been challenging. Yet in this season, we gather hope in our hearts, inspired by the powerful words of Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse; a branch will bear fruit.” And in the book of Job, “There is hope (tikvah) for a tree: if it is cut down it will renew itself; its shoots will not cease.”
This verse speaks to the potential for new beginnings, even from seemingly barren places. Just as a small shoot can grow into a mighty tree, our lives can blossom with possibilities, no matter our circumstances. Rosh Hashanah invites us to envision what we want to cultivate in the year ahead, whether it be personal growth, deeper relationships, or a stronger commitment to our community.
And TBT has hope in our very name: we stand as a community of hope in Central Oregon. Hope is not optimism, but the commitment to keep looking for the good and nurturing it with the very best that we have within us. As the shofar heralds the new year in this season of introspection of renewal, may we be awakened to live life more fully whatever the circumstances, and may we be shown by traditions’ wisdom how to transform our lives and the world around us.
May this New Year be one of peace, health, and joyful transformation for us all. Shana Tova!
Rabbi Sara