Tonight, Jewish people around the world will begin Yom Kippur with the special prayer of Kol Nidrei (“All Vows”):
“All vows, [self-imposed] prohibitions, oaths, consecrations, restrictions, interdictions, or [any other] equivalent expressions of vows… we regret them all; all shall be hereby absolved, remitted, cancelled, declared null and void, not in force or in effect.”
It may seem like an ancient ritual, but at its most essential level, the Kol Nidrei prayer gives us permission to let go of the past.
Right from the start, we are reminded that we are not locked into who we’ve been, what we’ve done, or the narratives we’ve carried.
Yom Kippur gives us the power to rewrite those stories.
Today, with everything happening in Israel and in our communities, we can easily feel caught up in a cycle of fear, frustration, or division. But Yom Kippur reminds us that we have an incredible ability to shift—personally and as a people.
This is the time to decide who you want to be, who we want to be, and to start living in that future.
Though we come from different backgrounds and observe Yom Kippur in different ways, we all share a responsibility to each other. And this year, that sense of unity and shared purpose is needed more than ever. Let’s renew our commitment to lifting each other up and to building a future where our community (and our world) reflect the best of who we are.
On behalf of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, we wish you a meaningful Yom Kippur.