Happy New Year to my friends and family who celebrate this new beginning – let’s hope the year 5780 allows for a re-set. In our private sphere, public life or wherever else it is needed.

Happy reading to them and everyone else of the two pieces below. In my attempt to make this year more balanced than the last, I have added something serious and something funny: one piece explains the meaning of the holiday in ways that I find affirmative and encouraging. They provide us a reminder and a space to check if we are keeping up with our resolution to lead an ethical life, and a nudge to do better…

https://theconversation.com/universal-ethical-truths-are-at-the-core-of-jewish-high-holy-days-123831

The other piece is just – well – hilarious. (Source: The ONION)

In keeping with my decades of tradition to make a Rosh Hashanah image, here is another version of apples, to sweeten the year. Note, no honey…. the other traditional ingredient. That is meant to remind all of us to step up in our engagement towards protecting the environment – otherwise we’ll have no more bees to bring us sweetness. Or pollinate plants in general to provide our food.