Yom Kippur

Presidential Message:  Yom Kippur, 5767 

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations…

Deuteronomy 7:9

On this most holy day of the Jewish calendar, Jews celebrate God’s goodness and reflect on their lives. Yom Kippur is a solemn time to express thanksgiving that the Almighty remembers the names of all His children. During this blessed Day of Atonement, Jewish people gather in synagogues, consider their deeds and actions, and celebrate as the sound of the Shofar proclaims the forgiveness and mercy shown by the Creator of life.

As the High Holy Days come to an end, the Jewish people in America and around the world remind us of the gift of religious freedom and the blessings of God’s steadfast love. On Yom Kippur and throughout the year, your deep commitment to faith helps make the world a more hopeful and peaceful place.

Laura and I send our best wishes for a blessed Yom Kippur.

GEORGE W. BUSH

According to a JTA article, “U.S. Rabbis List Support for Israel as No. 1 High Holiday Focus.”

Support for Israel is the No. 1 focus for this year´s Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur sermons among American rabbis, according to a new survey.

Seventy-two percent of rabbis surveyed said they are talking about the Jewish state, followed by 42 percent who are discussing “creating a better future,” 37 percent who are focusing on forgiveness and 34 percent who are urging greater participation in synagogue life.

Almost 140 rabbis responded to the first Rabbinic Leadership Survey conducted in early September by the Synagogue Transformation and Renewal Foundation, or STAR, a nonprofit dedicated to synagogue transformation and leadership development.

Most of the respondents were Reform and Conservative rabbis, and are taking part in one of STAR’s synagogue revitalization programs. One-quarter of them were women, and 49 percent were age 40 or younger.