Statement on the Observance of Rosh Hashanah

This Rosh Hashanah, Jewish communities throughout America and across the globe will celebrate the birth of the world and the beginning of a new year.

With the piercing sound of the shofar and the sweetness of apples dipped in honey, the Jewish New Year ushers in a sacred time of reflection, repentance, and renewal. A time to pause and look inward. During these Days of Awe, we have the opportunity to ask what kind of person we want to be and how we have measured up.

Just as individuals can seek renewal, so too can nations. This past year has seen encouraging progress for our Nation. More Americans are securing the dignity of a good-paying job. Fewer children are living in poverty. With COVID-19 no longer the same disruptive threat it was, families can once more gather around the Rosh Hashanah dinner table and sit together in their synagogues.

At the same time, we have much more work to do to realize the values that bind us as Americans and to restore the soul of our Nation. In the coming year, we must not only look inward, but also look to each other. We must rebuild our communities through empathy and acts of kindness, bridging the gap between the world we see and the future we seek.

Jill and I offer our warmest wishes to everyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah in the United States, Israel, and around the world. May your prayers be heard and your faith revitalized, and may we all be inscribed in the Book of Life. Shana Tovah.