Fran Putney’s Rosh Hashanah Message for 2026

My new daughter-in-law is not Jewish and did not grow up around Jewish friends. My son, Jordan, met Sydnee through a mutual friend, and they are a wonderful fit together. We absolutely love her and are delighted they are happy and have a bright future.
While there is no motive for her conversion, it’s been fun and important to us to share with her our family’s Jewish culture and the beauty and wisdom of our traditions. Judaism can be layered and complex, but it can also be understood in simple terms. Our guiding values are the importance of family, community, kindness, learning and healthy debate. Spiritually, our tradition allows each person to find their own connection to whatever God means to them.
This summer we found a Friday night in July when they could join us for services at The Temple, our longtime Jewish community. Although by now Sydnee’s been to several Passover seders and Rosh Hashanah dinners, this would be her first synagogue experience. As I hoped, she and Jordan (who hadn’t really been back since his bar mitzvah) fully enjoyed the experience. The music and prayers are beautiful, and Rabbi Berg’s message about the importance of hope and continuing to believe in the worth of the founders’ goals of our own country, despite the current divisions, was well received by us all. What was important to me was that she could learn (and my son could remember!) a little more about what Judaism means to our family.
On this Rosh Hashanah, I wish our Jewish community the renewal and introspection that a new year brings and an appreciation for all the beautiful and challenging ways Judaism enriches our lives.

Fran Putney is the proofreader for Atlanta Jewish Times.