Shana tova umitukah – best wishes for a sweet New Year – is the traditional greeting as we complete the cycle of one year in the Jewish calendar and enter a new one on Rosh Hashanah, the first of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. We dip apples and challah in honey for a delicious reminder of the importance of sweetness in our lives.
There are other blessings we ask for – happiness, health, and prosperity to name a few. So why sweetness? I wonder if that is because sweetness is something we can give to others. We have no control over whether or not someone gets sick or is successful in their work life. We can control our own ways of interacting with others.
At the onset of the year 5774 in the Jewish calendar, my wish for everyone is that their lives are happy, healthy and prosperous – and that we all bring some sweetness into the lives of others.
The Temple Jacksonville 