Mazel Tov!

We are quickly approaching Rosh Hashonah, the Jewish New Year.  In our world filled with much anxiety about the economic situation, and with natural disasters and challenges of nature, earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, heat waves, floods, tsunamis, we are many times hard pressed to find glimmers of hope and important moments of happiness.  Our Jewish people have also been on the receiving end of tragedies through the ages, yet our constant truth and teaching, is "to never lose hope."   We have seen oppressive regimes fall throughout the centuries.  The ancient Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians all were the most powerful empires of their day that once ruled the tiny Jewish nation, the kingdom of Israel, before they left the world scene.  

Somehow, the tiny Jewish nation is still here and making beautiful music for all the world to hear.  Advances in every aspect of medical technology and the healing arts, computer technology, agriculture, water desalination, alternative energy, music and culture to name a few of the contributions that tiny Israel makes to the world.

And then in the midst of the big picture there are personal moments of  joy and happiness in our communities and families that give us pause and help us cry out Mazel Tov!!  Congratulations, on the happy event in your life.

In recent days I have celebrated many happy moments with families in our community: Weddings, a bar mitzvah, a bat mitzvah, and baby namings.  Just last Sunday, my wife and I heard the good news that our son and daughter in law in Jerusalem, Israel gave birth to a baby boy.  Though this is our sixth grandchild, we are so excited.  I am flying to Israel to celebrate the Bris of our grandson and will return in time for Rosh Hashonah, please G-d.  

We must never let the world news of the day drown out our sense of hope and belief in a better tomorrow.   The birth of a child or grandchild always gives us that sense of hope.  

May each one of us be blessed with the wisdom of perspective, to see the seeds of hope and the birth of happiness in every moment of our lives.  

As Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught: "It is a big mitzvah to always be happy."  This is not frivolous or superficial.  We are to have an inner peace and appreciation for all the blesssings of life, and be happy with our portion.  

Mazel Tov!