Ray Rothman’s Rosh Hashanah Message for 2024
Ray Rothman shares her thoughts and inspiration for the Jewish New Year.
Rosh Hashanah has always been a special holiday in our family! Growing up in Va Beach, my parents used to wait on the side of the highway for the kosher butcher to meet us for our holiday order. We would often be joined by my grandparents or great aunt who was like a grandmother. My father’s parents were from Jersey City. My mother’s parents were from Roanoke Rapids, N.C. Their stories highlighted the stark differences between growing up in Jersey City, the home to a significant Jewish population, and Roanoke Rapids which didn’t even have a full-time rabbi.
My mother’s parents were part of a scattered rural Jewish community with one synagogue in Weldon, N.C, Temple Emanu-El about 10 miles from my grandparent’s home. The community emerged in the late 1890s with the arrival of a Lithuanian peddler, Henry Farber who opened a store that became the center of this extended Jewish community. This synagogue brought together families from 14 locales along southern Virginia and eastern NC. My grandparents were active members of Temple Emanu-El. We went there too for the high holidays and ate a community meal all together either in the synagogue or at a restaurant.
In contrast, Northern New Jersey in the 1930s was a community of more than 80,000 Jews with more than 40 synagogues. As a young man, my father lived above a store in Jersey City. During this time, the Jewish community was growing and evolving with a rich Jewish culture offering support and connection. The high holiday meals were replete with conversation, symbolism and tradition celebrated with my dad’s mother, her other boys and her parents. Meals were not just about food but were an opportunity for family sharing, renewal and reflection, and hope for the year ahead.
The sweetness of these memories reminds me of the importance of the shared experiences we as Jews have, which strengthen our bonds, increase our resilience, and add depth to our lives. Wishing you and your families a sweet and most joyous holiday!
Ray Alyssa Rothman is a commercial real estate broker who also helps high-net-worth individuals identify debt and equity investment opportunities. Her side business is Kibbitz & Konnect, a premier in-person social network for Atlanta’s Jewish singles community (www.kibbitzkonnect.org).
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