Happy New Year?

Happy New year! 

Or as the Jewish community would say   ' shanah tova' , which means 'good year', or ' shanah tovah u'metukah ', which is Hebrew for 'a good and sweet new year'.

Jewish communities across the nation will be celebrating the high holidays in the coming weeks. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, begins on Monday night (September 6) as the sun goes down and ends at nightfall on Wednesday, September 8. The beginnings of a new year from one perspective, so what a great time to start this new blog and in the times that lie ahead to see a record of what happens in a journey of life. There will be the positives as well as the negatives, but together we can discover so much to celebrate in the miracle of life. As they celebrate apples are dipped in honey to mark a sweet and fruitful new year and pomegranates, honey cake and round challah bread are also eaten. Hope is something we all look for in every tradition.

Speaking of hope, in 10 days time comes another symbol of hope for the Jewish people. Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, involves a 25-hour fast starting at sundown on Wednesday, September 15 until nightfall on Thursday, September 16. The bible talks of the beginnings of the Day of Atonement in the time of Moses. In the midst of a time when there seemed to be no hope a ritual was established in which the Israel nation could see their sin being cleansed from their lives. It was a day when they realised an "at-one-ment" (atonement) with God. The ritual did need to be repeated every year, however, so still a need for more lasting hope.

From a Christian perspective there is another aspect of hope that comes through this. Abraham was promised that through his seed the nations of the world would be blessed and this was to be seen in Jesus. His very name indicates he will save the people from their sins. On the cross of Calvary Jesus was seen as the "lamb" that takes away the sin of the world. Trusting Him, the seed of Abraham,, we can know atonement that lasts eternally. Now, talking of life there is so much more that lies ahead for all of us.

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