Shana Tova

I write these words as I listen with one ear to the first in-person UN General Assembly in three years where an Israeli prime minister who is not Bibi is speaking. My other ear (I used to listen to four radio channels when I was in the military so that part of the training must have stuck) is listening to Eric Clapton sing Autumn Leaves (summer ended yesterday) followed by Stevie Wonder, who maintains "the seasons know exactly when to change." They don’t (climate change) but As - his best song - remains sublime.

And while I listen to all that my thoughts are that we are finally at a starting point of a new year when the pandemic really is behind us. Many patterns of our lives have irreversibly changed (remember life before Zoom?) but mask-less days of awe do feel so much better, don’t they? I want to wish all of you (my loyal Bulletin readers) a happy and a healthy new year. Thank you for reading this Bulletin weekly. The past year was record breaking as readership increased by 10%. Thank you for keeping the faith. This message is of course not limited to you and yours. It extends to our entire community and to people everywhere - Jewish or not. I often see people wish a happy new year only to those who celebrate and it irks me. Why the limit? Do we not want to wish a happy new year to people in Ukraine? How about to two-thirds of our Federation’s employees who aren’t Jewish and may not celebrate? You get my point. And AS Stevie sings it, ALWAYS.