Eric M. Robbins’ Rosh Hashanah Message for 2024

Rosh Hashanah has always been a time of deep reflection for me and my family. The changing of the seasons, the vibrant colors of autumn, and the cooler air all invite us to pause, to look back, and to gaze ahead with hope. It’s a time to awaken—to become more aware. The sound of the shofar calls us to that awakening, urging us to take stock of our lives. The weeks of Elul, leading up to Rosh Hashanah, offer us a chance to ask: What have we achieved? Where have we fallen short? And what remains for us to do in the year to come?

This past year has undoubtedly been the most challenging one for the Jewish people in my lifetime. The pain, the loss, the anguish, the uncertainty—it all continues. Yet, Rosh Hashanah reminds us that life’s cycles persist. We will, in time, find our way through. But we must also acknowledge that we will not emerge unchanged, or unscarred. We will evolve, as we always have.

And yet, one of the most grounding and meaningful aspects of Rosh Hashanah is that the holiday itself remains unchanged. Year after year, through times of joy and hardship, it endures. The rituals, the prayers, the blowing of the shofar—they have never really changed. And I don’t see this holiday changing ever. In its timelessness, it offers us stability and continuity, providing a spiritual anchor in an ever-shifting world.

One of our cherished family traditions is to indulge in as much honey as possible during Rosh Hashanah, believing that the more we partake, the sweeter the year ahead will be. I can’t provide evidence that it works, but we do it year after year.

And this year, more than ever, we need all the sweetness we can gather. So, I encourage all of us to embrace this tradition with joy and hope. Let us pray for the safe return of our hostages, for peace in the Middle East and across the world, and for the continued growth and flourishing of our Atlanta community.

May the sound of the shofar stir our souls, and may we all be inscribed in the Book of Life for a year filled with peace, health, and sweetness.

Eric Robbins is the past President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and community member.