"Called to Start Again"

As the sun sets on October 14, the 23rd of Tishrei 5786, so ends the day we know as Simchat Torah. It’s a holiday that always moves me. Simchat Torah is about joy. We dance with the Torah, but we also wrestle with it. We celebrate the wisdom it offers, but we also pledge to turn its lessons into action — to protect, to uplift, and to repair. Surrounded by flags, dancing, and joy, we finish reading the very last words of Deuteronomy where Moses offers farewell blessings to the tribes.  Then, without even stopping to catch our breath, we literally roll the Torah right back to the very first words of Genesis:

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ 
B’reisheet bara Elohim et hashamayim v’et ha’aretz 
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

It’s a powerful reminder that our learning, our growth, and our work never really end. As soon as we reach one milestone or complete one project, we are called to start again. That cycle feels very real to me right now. We’ve accomplished so much as WRJ this year, including a phenomenal Social Justice Conference and playing a pivotal role in getting out the vote for the Reform slate in the WZC elections, yet each day presents a new challenge.  

In just a few weeks, admittedly with a bit of anxiety, I will travel to Israel with Rabbi Liz P.G. Hirsch and several WRJ Board members to pray at the kotel on Rosh Chodesh, to meet the women and communities we support through our grants, and to gather at the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) Connections conference and the World Zionist Congress, adding our voices to the chorus calling for an Israel that reflects our Reform Jewish values.

I’ll be honest, this trip feels different than any I’ve taken before. Israel is still living with deep trauma; democracy is at risk, families are grieving, and entire communities are trying to heal. Still, amidst all the pain, women are stepping up in extraordinary ways. They are organizing, leading, comforting, and innovating.

I am in awe of the resilience of the women who insist on creating hope, and the power of the shared values that connect us across oceans. Even in the hardest times, our work, and the Torah’s cycle, continue.

As we read on Simchat Torah in V’Zot HaBrachah, the last chapter of Deuteronomy:

חֲזַק חֲזַק וְנִתְחַזֵּק 
Chazak chazak v’nitchazek 
“Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen one another.”

That is what we do as WRJ.

We draw strength from one another and offer strength to others —in our sisterhoods, in Israel, and throughout the Jewish world.

May we carry the joy of Simchat Torah with us

• Joy that lifts us, even in heavy times.
• Joy that we get to begin anew, together, every single year.
• Joy in knowing that every ending invites us to begin again.

And may this holiday of joy also remind us why we lead

• Because the work is holy.
• Because the cycle continues.
• Because each new beginning is a chance to bring more light into the world.