Casting Away My Sins in the New Year

Happy New Year, Jewish folk! And to anyone else that just enjoys a good celebration! 

Rosh Hashanah began at sundown last night, and we rang in the new year with brisket and challah and turkey and kugel and my very own version of my mom's Jewish apple cake.

We had a table full of kids and laughter and singing (not in the traditional religious way...when my brothers and I get together, we tend to break out into song). 

It was a glorious way to kick off the Fall, a new year, a fresh start, and more!

I woke up today, however, and did not know what to do. Not members of a synagogue yet (joining next year when Miranda starts Hebrew school), I felt a little lost. If I worked a corporate job, I would have taken off. But I am home. And Gary is at work and Miranda is at school and so what was I to do? Pretend it was just like any other day?

Then I heard from my brother, Jeff. He was taking my niece to a local park to perform taschlich. Did I want to go?

I could not reply fast enough! Yes!! That is exactly what I want do to today. 

Tashlich comes from the Hebrew word meaning "to cast," referring to the intent to cast away our sins via this meaningful and ancient Jewish custom common.  The general idea is to go to a body of water on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah and throw breadcrumbs into it, symbolically washing away all of your sins from the past year. 

What a cool tradition! In all my years, I have only done this act once. I knew I wanted to do it again.

We met up at a natural trail that we have been to before. We greeted each other, grabbed our bread, and took off for sites unseen.

Along the way, we stopped and saw many wildflowers and fallen leaves. The air felt like summer, but the trail looked like fall.

About a mile in, we reached a bridge and stopped to cast our sins. We all tore off pieces of the bread and began to toss them in the still lake. The fish came immediately, and my brother commented that it was a win-win that we could toss away our sins and make sure the fish were fed at the same time.

I tossed my sins from the past year. Goodbye selfishness. Goodbye to being overly critical. Goodbye cattiness. Goodbye jealousy. Goodbye sins!

My niece laughed and delighted in having our pretty much undivided attention. She was practicing saying the word "tashlich" which sounded sooo adorable coming out of her two year old mouth.

After a while, we strode back to our cars. We all felt lighter. I felt free.

Religion to me is as much about the traditions and the spirituality as anything else. That is what I want to raise my family with and that is what I want my daughter to learn. We started a grand tradition today and one that I hope we now do every year with all of the kids that are around. I know mine will be.

To a happy and sweet new year - no matter what religion you are! L'Shana Tova!