Dear Friends,
As we stand once again at the threshold of a new Jewish year, we pause to reflect on the year behind us—and on the world we find ourselves living in.
This past year has been a year of extraordinary turbulence. War and uncertainty have continued to affect Israel, the Jewish people, and communities around the world. Antisemitism has intensified. Many are carrying anxiety, grief, and exhaustion. And at the same time, technology and artificial intelligence are transforming our lives at a pace we have never experienced before. Disruption defines the mood of our times.
In the midst of all this, one question becomes more urgent than ever:
How do we remain grounded, hopeful, and purposeful when the world around us feels anything but certain?
Perhaps there is no more powerful reminder of that question than the unusual convergence we face this year: The eve of Rosh Hashana begins on September 11; a day when “the world trembled and was reborn”—a day that reminds us of vulnerability, loss, and the devastating impact one moment can have on countless lives. At the same time, 25 years later, downtown Manhattan has been rebuilt and the destruction has turned into tremendous growth.
Rosh Hashana is precisely the day when we are asked to look forward.
To reflect, but not remain stuck in the past.
To remember, but also to rebuild.
To acknowledge what has been, while believing in what can still be.
That is the deeper message of a Jewish New Year. We are not simply turning the page on a calendar. We are being given the opportunity to renew ourselves—to reconsider who we are, what matters most, and what kind of world we want to help create.
This has been at the heart of our work at the Meaningful Life Center this year. (Please go here to see a summary of this year’s MLC impressive achievements.)
In a world struggling with anxiety, division, loneliness, and uncertainty, we have intensified our efforts to provide an unwavering voice of clarity, strength, compassion, and meaning. Through our classes, articles, global broadcasts, counseling, publishing, and growing digital and AI initiatives, we have worked to make timeless Jewish wisdom universally accessible to anyone searching for guidance and hope.
And we have seen again and again that people are searching—not merely for information, but for meaning. Not simply for answers, but for wisdom that helps them live with greater courage, connection, and purpose.
As we enter a new year, our commitment is stronger than ever: to bring light where there is darkness, meaning where there is confusion, healing where there is pain, and empowerment where there is despair.
But we cannot do this alone. You are part of this mission. Your partnership makes this work possible. Together, we can transform this moment of uncertainty into an opportunity for renewal.
May this Rosh Hashana bring healing to those who are hurting, peace to Israel and the world, strength to our communities, and renewed purpose to each of us.
With heartfelt gratitude and blessings,
Rabbi Simon Jacobson
P.S. As we enter the new year, your partnership is more vital than ever. Please give generously so that we can continue to be a voice of clarity, hope, and healing in an unsettled world.
