Happy New Year!!!

I'm pretty sure the saying is... "Next year in Jerusalem..." but I think being in Tel Aviv still counts! I can't believe I'm in Israel for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah! This is so exciting!
Rosh Hashanah, which literally comes from "rosh" meaning "head" and "shanah" meaning "year," is such an important time in Jewish culture. It's one of the two major holidays (Yom Kippur being the second) where where every Jew goes to synagogue. The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, also known as The Days of Awe, are a time for every Jew to reflect on their lives and repent for any wrongdoings the previous year.
This day could not be timed more perfectly for my life right now. As of today, I am officially unemployed. Talk about "new beginnings." Yesterday was my last day working at Oranim, and today is my last real day living in Tel Aviv on my own. This new year is going to bring a completely new way of life for me.... I am starting over.
There's a tradition in Jewish culture to throw bread crumbs into a body of water, as a symbol for casting your sins away. Since I will not be going to temple this year, I think I will follow through with this tradition. My sister always jokes that, "today it's in pencil, on Yom Kippur it's in pen." I plan to be on my best behavior and reflect on how I can be a better person these next ten days in order to ensure my name is written in The Book of Life for next year! Travelling through Turkey and Greece should give me plenty of time to contemplate.
Even though I don't have family here, which is definitely sad to not be with them for this holiday, I feel like I'm amongst family here anyway. I can't count the number of "Shana Tovah's" I've heard in the last few days....from friends, salespeople, and even strangers. It's an amazing time to be in Israel. I went to my shuk vendor to buy fruit for the weekend, which he happily comped for me. "Today...you don't pay anything. Shana Tovah, Motek!" He's the best!
I'm sending love and happiness, and hopes for a wonderful and prosperous new year to everyone! Dip some apples in honey and enjoy the holiday!!!

Hebrew phrases for today's post:

Tapuach: apple

Devash: honey

Metukah: sweet

Shana Tovah v'metukah: Have a good and sweet year

Hakol devash: slang for "everything's sweet like honey"

שנה טובה ומתוקה לכולם!!!