Hi APW,
Shana Tova. In Hebrew, that is the greeting we use during this season, which means, “a good year.” Sunday night is the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, and the Days of Awe. It’s the Jewish New Year, but it’s also the period of the year where we engage in deep introspection, and meditate on what we’ve done wrong, where we need to ask for for forgiveness, and how we want to move into the new year. During the ten Days of Awe, the idea is that the gates of heaven are open, and we directly petition G-d to include us in The Book of Life for a good and sweet new year.
Monday is our New Year, followed in ten days by Yom Kippur, our day of repentance, fasting and prayer. I never work on either of those days, but in the past sometimes APW has often published on those days in my absence. This year, as our community faces rising anti-semitism on the right and on the left (see my story highlights here if you want more of my thoughts on that), it seemed important for me, and for Jewish visibility, that we not publish on those two days. So we will see you back here on Tuesday morning.
Till then, if there are ways that I’ve disappointed you, or hurt you in the past year, dear reader of APW, I ask your forgiveness. And may you and your loved ones be sealed in the book of life for a sweet new year. With thanks to all that you’ve given me at the close of the year, Shana Tova U’metukah.
Meg
P.S. I’ve been on the lookout for Jewish lifestyle content, and I found the excellent Rebekah Lowin, follow her on Instagram, who created the amazing tablescape above. If, like me, you’re on the look out for exactly this, go check her out, or follow her on Instagram.
