Renee Werbin’s Rosh Hashanah Message for 2025

The joyous festival of Rosh Hashanah 5786 begins at sundown on September 22nd. Through our heritage, our sacred traditions, and our enduring prayers, we remain bound together meeting in synagogue for prayer and later sharing in the blessing of heart-warming family meals.

Rosh Hashanah is typically a time to celebrate the New Year, yet it is difficult to rejoice when antisemitism is at an all-time high. Antisemitic incidents have skyrocketed globally, and fear abounds. Negative attitudes and acts of hate and harassment toward Jewish people have become increasingly widespread, escalating from threats to deadly violence. It is deeply distressing to hear antisemitic rhetoric from politicians, both in the U.S. and abroad, and the growing presence of antisemitism among young people is particularly troubling. Hate speech now spreads rapidly across social media platforms, creating a frightening new norm.

Some of our people remain held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, and their cries together with ours go unheeded. The ancient chant of, “Let my people go,” still echoes today. Smear campaigns and hostility on college campuses have made them unsafe for Jewish students, even at universities where we once proudly earned our degrees. The chilling winds of the Holocaust seem to stir again, reminding us to heed the signs and remain vigilant.

This year, as we gather in our synagogues to pray, let us listen to the first resonant, eloquent sound of the shofar tekiah. Rosh Hashanah is a time when decisions are made regarding our lives: longevity or brevity, peace or hardship, tranquility or struggle. It is a time to reflect on life’s fragility, captured so powerfully in the central prayer of Rosh Hashanah, U’ netaneh Tokef: Who will live and who will die?

We pray the new year ushers in a world where Jews can pray openly, study at universities, and wear kippot without fear. May those who spread hatred be silenced and may the rise of antisemitism quickly and sharply decline. May our souls be nourished by the love of our families, the guidance of our teachers and rabbis, and the strength of our cherished friends. May our treasured traditions of festive Rosh Hashanah meals with apples dipped in honey, round golden challahs, and sweet tzimmes continue to be passed lovingly from generation to generation (l’dor v’dor). May the year 5786 bring peace and comfort to Jews around the world.

Renee Werbin is the publisher and co-founder of Travelgirl Magazine and the president and founder of SRI Travel.