Gather at the Beach by Dr. Bill Cutler

Thursday, October 2 is the celebration of the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is the final day of a ten day period that starts with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, and is to be a time of introspection, repentance, and resolving to live rightly.

I am not Jewish so this is not part of my experience, but, with apologies to those for whom it is a part of their life, I plan to adopt it this year. I’m drawn to three traditions that are part of these ten days.

Firstly, it is a remembrance of God’s creation of the universe. This is not meant to debate creation versus evolution because the way the universe has come to be is not the point; the focus is on cultivating a sense of humility and thankfulness that we – and everything else - are here at all. One thing is clear; we did not make all this! Rather, we receive it as a gift and should resolve to care for it well.

Secondly, the holy day is celebrated with challah and apples dipped in honey. Challah is a round loaf of bread full of raisins for sweetness. The roundness symbolizes the cycle of life and the sweetness of the bread and the honey-dipped apple slices express a prayer for a sweet year to come. I like apples, honey, raisins and bread so this will be an easy custom to adopt!

Thirdly, is the ceremony of Tashlich (which means “to cast off”). This is a ceremony where people reflect on and turn from attitudes and actions that do not reflect God’s desire for us and resolve to love God and our neighbor more fully. The community gathers by a body of water and casts pieces of bread into it, symbolizing the words of the prophet Micah who wrote that God removes our sins from us, casting them into the depth of the sea.

As we face a time where there is much fear, anger and violence, it seems like a good time for all of us – Jews, Christians, adherents of other faiths or none – to do something to cultivate the qualities of humility, thankfulness, repentance, and goodness. It’s a good time for all of us to wish and work for a sweet year.

On Friday, October 3, the day after Yom Kippur, I’ll be at Casino Beach behind Crab’ at 6 p.m. to practice Tashlich and I invite all readers to join me. I’ll invite others from my church but since it’s not part of our tradition I may be there by myself!

If you feel like you need a new start and that maybe a ritual of repentance, renewal, and eating sweet bread and apples would help, feel free to join me. Bring a chair or blanket and whatever you want for your dinner to eat together afterwards!

L’shana tovah

(“a blessing for a good year”)