God, Our Mother

We are so often carriers of the past—the paths traveled, our personal narratives, the realm of memory. And yet our minds simultaneously dwell upon the future, the journey that lies ahead, the realm of hope and promise. In this Reader, we offer you opportunities to explore both past and future, reflecting on the memories and experiences we carry with us, and daring to dream of the yet unfulfilled promise of what the future may hold.

During the Ten Days of Repentance, we insert a prayer into the Amidah, זכרנו לחיים (zokhreinu le-hayyim, remember us for life). In these two words, we encapsulate the great task of these High Holidays. We awaken זכירה (zekhirah, memory), inviting reflection upon what has transpired to bring us to this very moment, and we direct it forward, לחיים (le-hayyim, to life), peering down the road, imagining what good we can accomplish, and what blessings we can aspire to, in the year to come.

By learning together during these Days of Awe, we hope to share in an upward trajectory, bringing our great past into an even greater future, and looking forward to a year of health, peace, and joy.