Hello 5781, Good Riddance 2020

The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is upon us. According to the Hebrew calendar, we are beginning the year 5781. I’ve always been intrigued by the differences between the Jewish and Christian calendars, but never until this year have I valued quite so heavily having two. This Rosh Hashanah, I am putting 2020 to rest for 5781.

2020 has been incredibly difficult. The Pandemic cut short the lives of almost 200,000 Americans. Among over six million who contracted Covid-19, there are survivors with yet unknown long-term health consequences. Countless family members and friends have suffered losses. Within two small degrees of separation, about all of us know the destruction caused by the Pandemic.

There are silver linings too. Some have benefited - by spending time with children, by organizing that long-overdue mess, by rediscovering a hidden passion. Others have learned to play an instrument, to take control of their health, to jump start a new career.

The year 2020 also brought the horrifying deaths of George Floyd, Daniel Prude, and a long list of black lives taken at the hands of authority. A silver lining in this - awareness is awakening. People have come to see this violent discrimination for what it is, and they aspire to change it.

In transition to standing up for black lives, however, there are efforts to thwart justice. Some are undermining lawful protests by turning to destruction. Others are distracted by looters and protesters chanting four letter words. Adding insult to injury, those distracted use these behaviors to excuse themselves from working on solutions. Also, good people in law enforcement are suffering from the tremendous misguidedness of their colleagues. Polarizing identity politics are challenging would-be allies, who are afraid of using the wrong words or helping in unhelpful ways. We have yet to draw clear paths forward.

The Jewish New Year takes place over ten days and culminates with Yom Kippur. During these days we reflect, take stock of our personal transgressions from the previous year, and measure our transgressions as a community. There is a central teaching that we are responsible for the actions of one another - both the good and the bad. Yom Kippur includes prayers for public and private confessions. The Vidui prayer, which incorporates the Ashamnu, is an on-point, no-nonsense confessional. Ashamnu literally means, We are guilty. We declare:

We abuse, we betray, we are cruel. We destroy, we embitter, we falsify. We gossip, we hate, we insult. We jeer, we kill, we lie. We mock, we neglect, we oppress. We pervert, we quarrel, we rebel. We steal, we transgress, we are unkind. We are violent, we are wicked, we are xenophobic. We yield to evil, we are zealots for bad causes.

Each time we recite this prayer, I am reminded we are not speaking in the third-person. No one here gets to point a finger at someone else as the responsible party. We look inward and point to ourselves. We acknowledge in front of one another, that we are responsible for what happens around us. We are obligated to take personal responsibility for wrongdoing in our midst. We concede that our lots are inextricably intertwined.

We are responsible to support one another in Covid-19 safety measures. It is our responsibility to honor the best practices of physical distancing and wearing masks, to keep our neighbors healthy.

We are responsible and cannot excuse away the needless deaths which repeatedly target black Americans. We cannot dismiss this because we don’t see individual culpability. We cannot dismiss this because we prioritize our own suffering. We cannot dismiss this because some of those killed were imperfect humans with criminal records or drug-use issues. We cannot dismiss this because some misguided persons have taken to the streets destroying property. The finger points inward during these ten days. We must hear the direness of our neighbors. We must remember we are nobody if only for ourselves. We must be part of the solution.

If you were observing Jewish worshippers reciting the Vidui, you would notice that most hold their right fists to their chests - and gently beat their hearts - with each community misdeed. It is symbolic punishment for our hearts, as our closed hearts are ultimately responsible for the transgressions we commit against our fellow human beings.

Moving into 5781 while leaving 2020 behind, let’s beat our hearts into awakening. When we open our hearts - when we all individually decide to care - we will make meaningful, lasting change. It is within our collective power to bring safety and security back to our communities, and to bring true justice for all to America.