G’mar Chatima Tova

Yom Kippur begins at sundown. Those who observe in a traditional way will wear all white, fast for 25 hours, and spend the day in prayer that connects us through space and time and focuses on a communal reckoning with where we’ve missed the mark in the past year before we fully begin the new one.

If I have caused you harm in any way, I ask your forgiveness. I am sorry. And I will continue to practice aligning my deepest values with my highest self in word and deed alike.

One of the things I really appreciate about our tradition is that it’s written right into the prayers that we will muck things up in the future. It’s a given. Our ancestors understood this to be an inextricable part of being human. So having this mechanism for atoning as well as setting clear intentions for how to orient ourselves to our own imperfections is really powerful.

To all who are fasting, g’mar chatima tova. May you have an easy fast. May our names be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for another year.