(TRENTON) Assembly Deputy Speaker Upendra J. Chivukula sends greetings to the Jewish community observing the High Holy Days or Yamin Noraim (the ‘Days of Awe’) that start with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and continue through Yom Kippur, the day of atonement on September 13 & 14. He noted that we can all learn from the significance of this special time.
The celebration of Rosh Hashanah started at sundown on September 4 and continues through nightfall on September 6.
Chivukula (D-Somerset\Middlesex) issued the following statement:
“We send our best wishes to the Jewish community celebrating Rosh Hashanah and observing the High Holy Days, in which many explore the higher purpose of our human existence, by celebrating the good, reflecting on what we could have done different, and by strengthening our resolve to evolve as individuals and as world citizens;
“Our state’s Jewish community exemplifies some of the highest personal attributes including hard work, perseverance, the pursuit of excellence, leadership and a strong sense of community;
“One of the amazing aspects about the significance of the High Holy Days, is the belief in multiple chances, and that every moment can be an opportunity for transformation – in how we think and act, and in our relations with each other and between world nations;
“It is a time of reflection on what we can learn from the past and on when to break free so that we may pursue positive change in the future;
“Those who observe the High Holy Days also contemplate the importance of reconciliation and resolution, of starting over, and of working together to improve our communities, our state and our nation as well as the world, through selfless service and enlightened leadership;
“As is true of many traditions, there is a universal relevance in the significance of the observation of the High Holy Days, that can enrich all our lives;
“L’Shana Tovah. Best wishes for a wonderful year!”