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This Rosh Hashanah: Can I Find New Meaning?

This Rosh Hashanah: Can I Find New Meaning?

Last updated on: September 10, 2026 at 8:34 am by Susan P Lax

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This Rosh Hashanah: Can I Find New Meaning? 2026-09-10T08:34:33-04:00 Susan P Lax

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Sunrise Awe-Susan P. Lax

A Sunrise, a New Year, and a Question

On our way to give a Rosh Hashanah toast at our shoe factory, NAOT, in Northern Israel, I was in awe of the beautiful sunrise.

My partner in life and love was driving.

It was 6:45 a.m. His attention was on the road, while I had the privilege of simply being present with nature’s gifts.

Just as sunrises and sunsets have done for the past three years, this one didn’t disappoint.

It awakened my heart, mind, and soul.

Together, they seemed to send me a message—a thought that became a question:

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a time of reflection and renewal. Can I find new meaning in this very chaotic and unstable world?

When the Holidays Feel Distant

Our ride was a two-hour drive, plenty of time to listen to a meaningful podcast.

I turned to my loving partner with a request.

“Can we listen to a podcast about Rosh Hashanah? And perhaps find some new meaning?”

His response was swift and direct.

“No. I can’t relate to the meanings this year. The holidays seem distant from me.”

Like a music box that had just been wound, I heard my own past Rosh Hashanah reflections begin to play softly in the hallways of my soul.

But would those reflections still speak to me? Could they connect with me in the world we are living in now?

Before the World Changed

Rosh Hashanah, once a deep time of reflection, rooted in traditions handed down through generations, suddenly seemed like a distant memory from a “world before.”

Before October 7th.

Before antisemitism became something people felt increasingly comfortable expressing openly.

Before Israelis were judged collectively for the actions of a government and the intolerable acts of extremists.

Before being Jewish could feel like a reason to be targeted, and advocating for peace became something people were afraid to say out loud.

Before ICE became a painful reminder of how easily the dignity of human beings can be forgotten.

Before bombing became the norm and hatred became louder than love.

So much has changed, and it could harden our hearts if we allowed it.

And yet, here we are again, approaching Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year—a time traditionally devoted to reflection, remembrance, and renewal.

A New Meaning Emerges

We arrived on time, ready to address the beautiful faces of Israel’s diverse population, different faiths, colors, backgrounds, and cultures.

Our company’s family of amazing souls.

Jews, Muslims, and Druze, all of whom have experienced, and continue to experience, the tragedies of war and live with the weight of trauma.

As I stood before them to speak about hope, gratitude, and optimism, I realized that this was my Rosh Hashanah reflection.

This was my connection to the renewal that Rosh Hashanah holds so dearly.

As I looked out at hundreds of people sitting in that quiet, almost silenced room, I could feel something in every bone of my body.

A new meaning for Rosh Hashanah was emerging.

Perhaps renewal isn’t about returning to the world we once knew.

Or possibly, it is about finding a way to keep our hearts open in the world we have now.

The Message in the Silence

After my words came the heartfelt speech from my partner in life and love.

With each breath he took, a deeper, more reflective sentence emerged from the depths of his heart.

The silence in the room seemed to grow, while the echoes of hope, Tikkun Olam, and our responsibility to make the world a better place became louder.

I heard his message clearly: Don’t give up. Don’t surrender to the chaos of the world around us.

Instead, let our united forces of good become stronger, despite the outside voices trying to diminish what is so dear to us all.

He was able to connect this message to each handmade shoe we create, but for me, something more profound had happened.

I had just found my Rosh Hashanah moment of renewal.

What I Will Carry Forward

Possibly, what Rosh Hashanah is asking of me this year is to concentrate on what I will walk forward with as I enter these days of renewal.

My blessing for this Rosh Hashanah, this new year, is to keep our hearts open and find the courage it takes to do so.

To choose to walk hand in hand with hope rather than despair.

And to have the wisdom to remember that even in the most difficult of times, we each have the power to add a little more goodness to our corner of this world.�

You Can Listen Here to a Song of Hope I Wrote Called -Can I Borrow Your Hope–

History and Religion

Rosh Hashana. Relections

About Susan P. Lax

SUSAN LAX is a spiritual guide and was the author for 16 years of Morning Inspiration, an email newsletter that was released three times a week. Susan is the author of the book A HEART’S LANDSCAPE: An Invitation to the Garden of Moments. As well as the co-creator of the album::THE HeEART to HEART SoONGBOOK", where her Morning Inspirations were composed and sung by Shira In addition, she is the co-owner of Naot Footwear, a company that ethically manufactures handmade comfort shoes. Visit susanplax.com. You can read more about the author here.

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