Jewish New Year approaches after year of ‘pain.’ CT faith leaders make calls for unity

As Rosh Hashanah , the Jewish New Year, begins at sunset on Wednesday, there is a call for unity amid the turmoil in Israel and the Middle East.

“Each individual, every one of us, has a unique mission. We all must do our part to make this work a better and more divine place,” said Rabbi Yosef Wolvovsky of the Chabad Jewish Center in Glastonbury.

“The Jewish people are an eternal people,” Wolvovsky said. “Our greatest strength is our unity. As we celebrate the new year, we come together to do more good.”

This year has been a difficult one for the Jewish community following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.  During the terrorist attacks, 1,139 people were killed, included 695 Israeli civilians, 38 of which were children. The attack initiated the ongoing Israel–Hamas war that had lead to the deaths of over 40,000 people in Palestine and Israel.

“This year, we have been through a lot. We’ve experienced so much pain, both in the Holy Land and around the world. We’ve also reached deep inside ourselves to find strength, resilience, courage, and unity,” Wolvovsky said, also noting the rise in antisemitism in the United States.

An Anti-Defamation League study conducted earlier this year, states that there were 8,873 antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2023, the most since they started recording in 1979. The numbers spiked after Oct. 7, 2023. From that date to Dec. 31, 2023, there were 5,204 incidents of harassment, vandalism and assault. There have been antisemitic incidents in Connecticut in the last year, which leaders have universally spoken out against, condemning hate.

“This will be remembered as the year of pain but also as a year of strength and hope,” Wolvovsky added.

Wolvovsky said with the new year comes a renewed sense of unity.

“This year, the message of renewal on Rosh Hashanah resonates even stronger. When good people of all backgrounds stand together, nothing can bring us down,” he said.

Wolvovsky said, “I think standing together … proud as Jewish people, helps give courage to all Jewish people all over the world, it’s coming together in solidarity.”

He said a strength of the Jewish people “really is our faith in God, our connection to God,” as well as not hiding from and “cherishing our Jewish identity.”

“We stand tall, we have faith in God. We also believe God has faith in us,” he said.

In such times, there is a “call to the conscience of all good people. when we see voice of hate and negativity, to let our voices be heard … for good to triumph over evil,” he said.

The Jewish High Holy Days begin with Rosh Hashanah, followed by Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) on Oct. 12 and Sukkot from Oct. 17-25.

Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on Wednesday and ends on Friday at nightfall. It is celebrated with candle lighting in the evenings, festive meals with sweet delicacies during the night and day, prayer services that include the sounding of the ram’s horn (shofar) on both mornings and desisting from creative work,” according to chabad.org .

“This symbolizes both a call to action, compelling is to change for the better, as well as a cry to heaven, beseeching God to bless us with a sweet year,” Wolvovsky said.

Yom Kippur closes the 10-day period, also known as the Days of Awe.

There are 26 Chabad Community Centers throughout Connecticut and Wolvovsky said that Jewish communities throughout the state are opening their doors for people to come celebrate.

“It’s not just a commemoration of the past events, we are celebrating a new present and a renewed energy into the new year,” Wolvovsky said.