180907 Rosh Hashana 5779

Rosh Hashana 5779

Shabbat 27^th Elul, 5778

Shabbat Shalom, Shana Tova, Happy Al-Hijra, a sweet and kind new year.

This weeks Torah reading deals with the choices we make in life, as put to the Children of Israel by Moses from the word of Hashem, of G-d. It is made very clear that one's standing in life is irrelevant, that the purity of one's soul is the ultimate requirement. Today's religion, all religions, are too reliant upon using learned men and women to pray for us and make our decisions when it is very clear that while we need their knowledge to understand the written word and what lies behind it, each person must come to their own conclusions, their own judgement, their own ability to absorb.

I've been trying to think of what to wish you for the coming year, 5779.

In Hebrew Savlanut means patience and Sovlanut means tolerance. It is not by chance that they come from the same root. So, I would start by wishing you tolerance, a huge helping of love, a kinder world, learning before judging, a great big dollop of joy and the ability to recognise how lucky we are because no matter what hurts, there is someone worse off.

It is easy to smile at the words above, to nod and agree but how many of us truly live by those simple rules? We tend to judge by our standards not by learning the reasons someone thinks a certain way; we jump to conclusions based on our filters not theirs.

So, my prayers are simple.

I wish all of us a world in which we are too busy dreaming of our children's future to kill the dreams of others.

I wish us a world in which leaders do what they say not what their greed and fears dictate.

I wish a world where we are confident enough in our beliefs to accept the beliefs of others.

Being right and expressing our views is not always the best way, sometimes silence is not only golden it displays wisdom.

I wish us a world too busy teaching the wonder of curing illness and poverty to think about teaching hatred.

I wish you love, joy, good health and a love for mankind.

There is something incredibly innocent about this beautiful song for Rosh Hashana. I hope you like it. It comes from the group Chocolad, Menta, Mastik (Chocolate, Mint and Gum) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8C0Mb9UQOQ

Lu Yehi – Let it be – All that we pray for, let it be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJoZ9R4i-N0

Finally, a magnificent rendition of Al Kol Eleh from the Argentinian community. It has no translation but you know the words by now! Of the Honey and the sting…… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPsAXOUmNXc

Today, 49 years ago my life was filled with a level of joy and pure love that came upon me without warning. Today 49 years ago my incredible eldest son Daniel Joseph Cammerman was born. Daniel, you are everything I prayed for and more, may you have a truly magnificent year.

Lots of love and wishes for a year filled with sovlanut and savlanut, of honey without the sting; wishes that fly to every corner of the earth from our veranda with a stupendous view, here in Jerusalem.

Shabbat Shalom dear friends

Sheila