Wednesday, October 21, 2026
According to Jewish tradition, this coming Monday evening, Sept. 22, the world will be exactly 5,786 years and five days old. That is when we celebrate Rosh Hashana - the Jewish New Year. Five days earlier, on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Elul, the world was created. Rosh Hashana thus coincides with the sixth day of creation, the day when G-d created Adam and Eve.
This begs the question: Why don’t we celebrate the New Year on 25 Elul, the day the world itself was formed?
The answer is profound: Rosh Hashana is not a celebration of creation itself; it is a celebration of what we do with creation. Humanity, created on the sixth day of creation, was entrusted with a mission – to bring light, goodness, and holiness into the world. Rosh Hashana reminds us of our purpose: to live with meaning, to lift one another up, and to make the world a better place.
This message feels especially urgent this year. Our hearts are heavy with the ongoing pain of our brothers and sisters in Israel, and we fervently pray for the safe return of all the hostages, for security, and for peace. At the same time, Rosh Hashana calls us to renew our hope - to strengthen love over hate, tolerance over division, and kindness over indifference.
One of the most powerful aspects of Rosh Hashana is the sounding of the shofar. Its cry is both simple and profound - a raw, unadorned sound that bypasses words and speaks directly to the soul. On the deepest level, we blow the shofar to crown G-d as King of the universe. Rosh Hashana is the anniversary of the creation of humanity, and on this day we reaffirm our acceptance of G-d’s sovereignty, proclaiming that the world is not ownerless, but guided by a higher purpose.
The shofar is both personal and universal. It awakens us from spiritual slumber, urging us to return to our deepest values, while also uniting us as one people under one creator. It echoes the shofar at Mount Sinai and foreshadows the shofar of redemption we pray will soon be heard with the coming of Moshiach (Messiah). As its piercing blasts are sounded, may they stir us all toward unity, compassion, and renewed strength.
Together, as a community, we share a collective mission to perfect the world and make it a better place, as outlined in the Seven Noahide Laws for universal guidance (for more information, visit ChabadJewishLife.org/62221). At the same time, each of us is uniquely crafted by G-d, with a distinct mission to contribute to this world.
As Rosh Hashana approaches, I extend my warmest wishes for a happy, healthy, and sweet New Year to all. If you are seeking a place for services, our doors are open to you. Visit ChabadJewishLife.org/services for more information.
Rabbi Shimon Kramer is the director and spiritual leader of Chabad Center for Jewish Life of Merrick-Bellmore-Wantagh. For assistance, he can be contacted by email at rabbik@chabadjewishlife.org or by phone at 516-833-3057 x 100.
