by Dana Rubin‑Winkelman, MSW, CAPSW, Social Worker
As summer begins to fade and autumn approaches, we enter one of my favorite times of year—the Jewish High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown on September 11, followed by Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which begins at sundown on September 20. These holidays invite us to pause, reflect, reconnect, and think about the year ahead.
One of the sweetest traditions of Rosh Hashanah is dipping apples in honey and wishing one another a Shanah Tovah u’Metukah—a good and sweet year. Honey represents our hope for sweetness, abundance, and blessing in the year ahead.
This month, I invite you to think beyond the honey jar. Where can you find sweetness in your own life? Perhaps it is a favorite memory, a phone call from someone you love, music that touches your heart, a beautiful autumn day, or simply the comfort of familiar traditions.
May the New Year bring you moments of sweetness, good health, meaningful connections, and many sparks of light.
“The sweetest things in life are not things.” — Unknown
1. Spark Your New Year- Look for Sweetness: Life is not always easy, and none of us can control everything that happens around us. But we can become more intentional about noticing the moments that bring comfort, gratitude, and joy. At Rosh Hashanah, we dip apples in honey as a symbol of our hope for a sweet New Year. Perhaps we can carry that tradition with us beyond the holiday by looking for little moments of sweetness in our everyday lives.
Try a simple “Sweetness Hunt.” Over the next week, look for one small thing each day that makes you smile or brings you peace.
- A favorite song
- A beautiful sunset
- A delicious cup of coffee or tea
- A phone call with someone you love
- A funny memory
- Time with a grandchild, friend, or pet
- A quiet moment when you can simply breathe
At the end of the week, ask yourself: What brought me the most joy? How can I make room for more of it? Sometimes wellness is not about making big changes. Sometimes it is about noticing the good that is already here. May we enter the New Year with open eyes and open hearts, ready to notice—and create—a little more sweetness each day.
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” — Robert Brault
2. A New Year, A New Intention: The High Holidays offer us a beautiful opportunity to pause, reflect, and think about how we want to enter the New Year. Instead of making a long list of resolutions, consider choosing one word or one intention to carry with you. Perhaps your word is kindness, gratitude, courage, connection, peace, joy, patience, or hope. Choose a word that speaks to your heart and reflects something you would like to nurture in the year ahead. Write it down and place it somewhere you will see it often as a gentle reminder. What would you like your word to remind you of throughout the New Year?
3. Sweet Memories- A Reminiscence Activity: Our memories are filled with moments that can nourish us emotionally. Think about a favorite Rosh Hashanah or fall memory from your childhood or earlier years. If you are with a family member or friend, share your memory with them. You may discover that your story sparks one of their memories, too. Memory sharing is more than reminiscing—it is a beautiful way to strengthen connection and keep cherished traditions alive.
Bring your memory to life by pondering a few questions: Where were you? Who was with you? What foods were served? What did the table look like? Was there a particular smell in the kitchen? What sounds do you remember? Who made you feel especially loved?
For me, I remember the little special glasses my Grandma Dorothy gave to each of the children to use at her holiday table. I still use those glasses at many of my Shabbat dinners today. I am also remembering my wonderful cousin Marci’s homemade, delicious, sweet, round, gigantic challah! I can still picture myself ripping off a piece, dipping it into honey, and wondering if the honey was dripping down my face. These little details are what make memories so sweet—and sometimes, the simplest memories are the ones we carry with us forever.
4. Spark Your Brain: The “Sweet” Memory Challenge: Give your brain a little workout! These simple exercises are fun, but they also allow your brain to practice retrieving information, making connections, and focusing attention. Regularly engaging in this type of mental activity can help keep our thinking skills active and support brain health.
- Without looking anything up, see how many sweet foods you can name in one minute.
- Name 10 foods that contain honey.
- Think of five people who have brought sweetness into your life. You can write their names down or simply picture their faces and think about what you appreciate about each person. Gratitude and reminiscence can be enjoyable ways to keep our minds active while also lifting our spirits.
5. Spark Your Soul with Music: Music can transport us through time. A familiar melody can bring back a holiday, a person, a place, or an emotion in an instant. This month, choose music that helps you slow down and reflect. As you listen, close your eyes for a moment and ask: What does this music bring back to me?
- “Avinu Malkeinu” by Barbra Streisand – A beautiful and deeply emotional High Holiday prayer. Even if you do not understand every word, you can feel the emotion and meaning in the music. Click here for the 4-minute audio.
- “Oseh Shalom” by Rick Recht- Oseh Shalom is a prayer for peace and wholeness. Rick Recht’s version is uplifting and hopeful. Click here for the 3-minute video.
- “B’Rosh Hashana” by Ben Sidran, Lynette Margulies, Randy Brecker, Deb Dobkin – Wisconsin-born pianist, singer, songwriter, producer, author, and host Ben Sidran beautifully combines his love of jazz with his love of Judaism. His connection to Madison’s historic Gates of Heaven synagogue makes this music especially meaningful. I had the great pleasure of seeing Ben Sidran and his band perform locally at CBINT many years ago. Enjoy this lovely musical reflection on Rosh Hashanah. Click here for the 3+ minute audio.
“If words are the pen of the heart, then song is the pen of the soul.” — Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi
6. Strength Through Community: As we approach the High Holidays, many of us continue to carry deep concerns about Israel, the Jewish people, and the rise of antisemitism. These concerns can feel heavy, particularly during a season that calls us to reflect, renew, and look toward the year ahead. Yet the High Holidays also remind us of the strength that comes from community, connection, and standing together.
May this season be a time to draw strength from our traditions, our community, and our shared commitment to tikkun olam—repairing and healing our world. We do not have to solve every problem in the world. But each of us can choose kindness, speak out against hatred, support one another, and add a little more light wherever we can.
Shanah Tovah u’Metukah! — A good and sweet New Year!
As we enter this season of reflection and renewal, I hope you find sweetness in unexpected places—a familiar song, a favorite recipe, a cherished memory, a beautiful day, or time spent with someone who makes your heart happy. May you and your family be blessed with good health, peace, meaningful connections, and many moments of joy in the year ahead.
If you have questions about healthy aging, memory changes, caregiving, or community resources, please feel free to reach out. I would be happy to connect. You can find me at DRubin-Winkelman@ovation.org.
Until next month, take good care of yourself, stay connected, and keep looking for those little sparks of light.
Warmly,
Dana
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