Column: “God allows U-Turns”

Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz
Sentinel Contributor

Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz
Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz

On my refrigerator at home is a magnet: “God allows U-Turns”.

I am always struggling with this “sign” and my desire to ignore the message and open the fridge anyway.

In essence this is what our High Holy Days’ observance is all about.

We know that God allows and encourages the U-turns we need to make in our lives that will prompt us to be more effective people; physically, mentally, and spiritually.

However, we all struggle with God’s High Holy Day “sign”.

As we have just begun our new year, each of us is pondering where we are going. 

Some of us may want direction, and some of us may feel a little lost. 

To some extent, we are all the “wandering” Jew. We wander and we search.

We recognize that we don’t have to have all the answers, but so badly desire to know we are on the right path.

Our life’s journey can consist of right turns, left turns, going straight ahead, or making that complete U-Turn.  The most important thing is that we don’t stand still on our life’s path.

Let’s utilize this holy season to really take an honest look at ourselves and the direction(s) we wish to turn.

Questions we can consider asking ourselves:  

What am I pretending not to know? 

Why don’t I do the things I know I should be doing? 

What are my values and am I being true to them? 

How willing is my desire to change vs. my willfulness to not change?

If I achieved a particular life goal, how would I feel?  How would I feel if I more effectively tried to reach this life goal?

Who do I love and who loves me?  Am I prioritizing these loves the way I want?  Am I being effective in maintaining and strengthening these relationships?

Am I living fully in the moment or letting time slip away?

What can I do today to improve myself? 

What type of role model am I versus what I want to be?

This New Year I pray we can all do a better job in navigating our lives.   

Let’s find the strength and willingness to make for ourselves even better tomorrows than today.L’Shanah Tovah — A Happy, Healthy & Peaceful New Year!!

Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz has been the Rabbi at Temple Sholom since 1995.  He is the co-founder of the Sholom Center for Interfaith Learning and Learning.  He previously served as the President of the Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy and Chairman of the Congregational Life Council of Churches and Synagogues of Lower Fairfield County.  Rabbi Hurvitz is the co-author of the “Encyclopedia of Judaism.”

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