Embracing Uncertainty in the New Year

Shira Firestone, Editor CJN

As I write this, the air seems far from turning crisp, and the days do not feel any shorter. Yet the month of Elul is just beginning and with it a familiar anticipation for our Jewish community. It is that time of year again when we prepare to welcome the High Holidays - a period of reflection, renewal, and connection. This year, as I sift through old editions of the CJN and trace the winding path of the pandemic’s impact on our community, I can’t help but be struck by the profound journey we’ve been on.

Looking back over past issues, I’m reminded of the challenges we faced over the past three years. Uncertainty became our companion. The High Holidays, known for their tradition and continuity, found themselves in an unexpected dance with change. We couldn’t gather in our synagogues as before; instead, we connected through screens. We couldn’t commit plans to ink, as they were constantly changing. We did the best we could with circumstances we could not predict. Those of us who are uncomfortable with not knowing what to expect found ourselves with no other choice.

So, though I’m reminded of the challenges, I also recall the flexibility and creativity that was awakened within us, individually and as a community. It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, terms like “virtual gatherings” and “Zoom fatigue” were foreign concepts. (As a writer, I vow to never use the words “pivot” or “new normal” again as long as I live!) The first issue I was responsible for as the new editor of the Charlotte Jewish News was in August 2020 – right before the High Holidays. It was fitting that I didn’t yet know what I was doing, because none of us knew what we were doing!

Here we are today with the dust seemingly settled and many are enthusiastically anticipating gathering together in person for this year’s many High Holiday celebrations and observances. Though some communities are still offering the innovative hybrid options, others have returned to in-person only.

Yet, as I sit down to write this, I can’t ignore the irony of the situation: After navigating the unchartered waters of the pandemic for three long years, here I am, recovering from COVID, myself. The virus, which I had avoided until now, is a stark reminder that life is unpredictable, and much of it is out of my control.

But even if my head feels like a messy mix of molasses and cotton balls and I feel as though I’m looking at the page from behind frosty glass, I am still moving steadily along with the energies that the month of preparation brings and the Holy Days it ushers in.

So here we are, welcoming another year. As always, we project our hopes for the future onto the rituals that come with it. We take the opportunity to set our intentions and visualize our course for the future. Even as we do, we’re reminded that we can influence, but not control, what this year will bring. We can anticipate, but what we really need to be prepared for is the unexpected.

Facing this recent uptick in COVID cases and hearing growing chatter of another upcoming election (and its inevitable drama), many of us are feeling the familiar anxiety of our past collective trauma. However, at the time, when all this began, our anxiety wasn’t matched by the awareness that would emerge — that our resilience and creativity are more than enough for challenges we face.

In the approaching year, we will encounter the unexpected. Some of it we will celebrate, while some will challenge our resolve. In response, our task is to welcome it all. Our navigational tool is not foresight or clairvoyance, but rather the confidence in our ability to meet what comes. If we’ve learned anything, it is that we are ready.

I look forward to spending another year with you.

Shanah Tovah Umetukah

Shira