Ilyssa Klein’s Rosh Hashanah Message for 2024
Ilyssa Klein shares her thoughts and inspiration for the Jewish New Year.
My favorite thing about any holiday is family gatherings – just being together with parents, grandparents, children, aunts, uncles and cousins. Seeing my children grow and play together with their cousins brings a great deal of joy as it is much the same as my own childhood experience. At its core, Rosh Hashanah is traditionally a time for reflection and renewal and an opportunity to be together as a family and a community. Over the last century, the way many families celebrate this holiday, including my own, has transformed significantly, largely due to migration and changes in societal structure. A hundred years ago, many Jewish families lived in close-knit communities, often in the same neighborhoods or towns. This proximity allowed for large, multigenerational gatherings filled with shared rituals and collective prayers.
Today, families are often dispersed across cities, states, or even countries, resulting in smaller, more intimate celebrations. With technological advancements, virtual connections have become increasingly important. Many families now turn to video calls to include distant relatives in their holiday traditions, bridging the physical gap. Despite the geographical distance, the essence of Rosh Hashanah—reflection, prayer, and the hope for a sweet new year—remains intact, though adapted to modern realities.
I count my family as lucky to mostly have migrated together and to still have large family gatherings. However, since our move to Atlanta 30 years ago our holidays no longer incorporate the extended family as they once did.
Rosh Hashanah will continue to evolve to the era we live in and may incorporate new traditions from new places, but the core of the holiday will remain the same. My hope and wish for my family and for all of you is that we continue to hold onto these important family relationships and friendships. I also hope that we continue to come together as a community to invite others into our home who may not have family and friends close by to celebrate with. From my family to yours, L’Shana Tova!
Ilyssa Klein is an Account Manager for the Atlanta Jewish Times.
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