Happy New Year 5781!

Seasons are changing.
It will be fall or spring equinox depending on where you live.
And on Friday night Sept 18, 2020 it will be a new year in the Hebrew calendar…5781!

This is a wonderful time of year to reflect inward.

I thought I would share a few things that have helped me move into an introspective space. 

First, I love re-reading Alan Lew's book This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation.

Second, I think this is a cool project. I have been part of for the last handful of years.
10Q. 10 Days. 10 Questions.
Here’s what they say about their project:
Answer one question per day in your own secret online 10Q space. Make your answers serious. Silly. Salacious. However you like. It's your 10Q. When you're finished, hit the magic button and your answers get sent to the secure online 10Q vault for safekeeping. One year later, the vault will open and your answers will land back in your email inbox for private reflection. Next year the whole process begins again. And the year after that, and the year after that.
One of the best parts of 10Q, they don’t care about your religion, background or nationality. They ask the same questions every year. Each time I am both surprised and not so surprised to see what I wrote the year (and years) before.  

In the past years I have written about picking a word for the year. My words have been balance, bravery, abundance and mountain.

What is your intention for this new year? 

    What are your dreams? 

I invite you to take a minute and ask yourself...

        what are you hoping for in this new year?  

        what word pops into your head?
I think mine might be Gevurah. It has to do with strength, boundaries and justice. It is the counter balance to overflowing loving kindness. I hope you’ll click here and send me your word.

Last but not least here is a bit of music for the season.
The Maccabeats- Bashana Haba’a

Soon the day will arrive
when we will sing together,
And the distance will just disappear
And the children will smile,
In a world that’s gotten better,
So let’s bring in a healthy new year

One of my teachers Daniel Silverstein has started recording his music, kind of rap music, take a listen. What do you think?

In this new, strange time I bless you and our world with good health, strength, courage and peace. 

May 5781 be a sweet new year for us all.
שנה טובה

With Ahava (love)

Tamy

Lyrics for Bashana Haba’a
בשנה הבאה נשב על המרפסת
ונספור ציפורים נודדות.
ילדים בחופשה ישחקו תופסת
בין הבית לבין השדות.

עוד תראה, עוד תראה
כמה טוב יהיה
בשנה, בשנה הבאה.

Soon the day will arrive
when we will sing together,
And the distance will just disappear
And the children will smile,
In a world that’s gotten better,
So let’s bring in a healthy new year

Wait and see, wait and see, what a world there can be
And we know that there’s always tomorrow

עוד תראה, עוד תראה
כמה טוב יהיה
בשנה, בשנה הבאה.

בשנה הבאה נפרוש כפות ידיים
מול האור הניגר הלבן
אנפה לבנה תפרוש באור כנפיים
והשמש תזרח בתוכן.

עוד תראה, עוד תראה
כמה טוב יהיה
בשנה, בשנה הבאה.

———————————————————————————-

Lyrics translated:

In the coming year we’ll sit on our porch
And we’ll count migrating birds
Children on holiday will play tag
Between the house and the fields

Soon you’ll see, soon you’ll see
How good it will be
In the coming year

Soon the day will arrive
when we will sing together,
And the distance will just disappear
And the children will smile,
In a world that’s gotten better,
So let’s bring in a healthy new year

Wait and see, wait and see, what a world there can be
And we know that there’s always tomorrow

In the coming year we’ll spread our palms
Against the white flowing light
A white heron will spread its wings in the light
And the sun will shine in them

Soon you’ll see, soon you’ll see
How good it will be
In the coming year