Making a better world

When asked to cite the most significant events of the past year I usually think of national and international events that achieved headline status. Some I regard as positive: The legalization of gay marriage. And some are clearly tragic: Such as the need to remind ourselves that black lives matter because of the increase in violent attacks and killings of American citizens, whose color is darker than mine.
There has also been a significant increase in deadly anti-Semitic attacks in Europe and turmoil at home for the American Jewish community as it continues to struggle with the decision of our president to pursue a plan with the Iranians he believes will lead to peace but which many of us fear will only lead to increased terror and bloodshed.
So when the Hebrew calendar makes it possible for me to spend much of the first 10 days of the new Jewish year (Aseret Y’mei Ha-teshuva/Ten Days of Repentance) engaged in prayer one question I need to ask each year is what makes my prayer different and special this year?
And the answer is — the words will be the same though my thoughts and intentions might change from year to year. The book from which we will recite our prayers is known as the Mahzor, so named because of the cycle of the year. It provides a script for conversing with the Almighty using words compiled by sages, thinkers and poets who lived centuries ago. But rather than search for my own words, I return each year to these words knowing that they not only link me to the past but inspire me to future action.
One prayer, the Aleynu prayer, originally composed in the third century for use on Rosh Hashana became so popular that it became the closing prayer for nearly every daily service. The first section proclaims the sovereignty of God. But the second passage especially speaks to me these days for it predicts a time of unity for all humanity — a time when we will work together to perfect our flawed world in accord with God’s vision for us.