Cantor Nancy Kassel’s Rosh Hashanah Message for 2025

The Gates of T’shuvah are opened wide. Will we walk through them? It takes courage, humility and even intentional vulnerability to enter and dwell in the physical and spiritual space where we examine our lives and vow to grow and change for the better in the year ahead. As we seek forgiveness from those whom we’ve harmed may we also extend this forgiveness to ourselves. The well-known phrase from Leviticus 19:18, V’ahavta l’rei-acha ka-mocha, “Love your neighbor as yourself …” presumes that we first love ourselves. Why love ourselves?

Because we were created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of the Divine. May every note that is sung and every word that is uttered during these High Holy Days open our hearts towards ourselves and to one another. Together, let us walk through these daunting gates, gaining insight from our introspection and strength from our community.

Shanah Tovah to All.

Nancy Kassel is the Cantor at Temple Beth Tikvah in Roswell, Ga.