Shanah Tovah from Barack Obama

Shanah Tovah: Happy New Year

This past September 15, Barack Obama met with some 900 American rabbis via a teleconference. The event received little coverage, but it seems very appropriate to mention it on this Erev Rosh Hashanah. It’s very much like a Shanah Tovah from Barack Obama himself.

Said Obama “I want to wish everybody a Shanah Tovah and I hope that you will convey my wishes to all of those you pray and celebrate with this Rosh Hashanah.”

Here is what Senator Obama said about the sounding of the shofar:

I know that the Shofar is going to be blown in your synagogues over Rosh Hashanah and there are many interpretations of its significance. One that I have heard that resonates with me is rousing us from our slumber so that we recognize our responsibilities and repent for our misdeeds and set out on a better path. The people in every community across this land join our campaign and I like to think that they are sounding that Shofar and to rouse this nation out of its slumber and to compel us to confront our challenges and ensure a better path. It’s a call to action. So as this New Year dawns, I am optimistic about our ability to overcome the challenges we face and the opportunity that we can bring the change we need not only to our nation but also to the world.

You can read about the conference call on ABC News. One of the Rabbis, Danya Ruttenberg, also liveblogged the call.

Best wishes to all my readers and visitors for a shanah tovah u-m’tukah, a year that is both good and sweet—as well as a year of change for the better.

“You are not free to complete the work, but neither may you desist from it.”

—Barack Obama quoting Rabbi Tarfon in Pirkei Avot.(1)

 

(1) A better translation: It is not upon you (incumbent upon you) to finish the task, but neither are you free (lit. ben chorin, “a son of freedom” as opposed to a slave) from desisting it.

Explore posts in the same categories: Barack Obama, Change, Election 2008, Faith, Politics

Tags: Change, Shanah Tovah, shofar

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