A Wake-Up Call
A Wake-Up Call

D

oes your alarm clock 
wake you up for 
school in the morning? 
Does the loud noise remind 
you that you’re supposed to 
be up and getting ready to 
make the most of the day? 
 Rabbi Steven Rubenstein, 
from Congregation Beth 
Ahm in West Bloomfield, 
says the sound of the 
shofar is something that can 
reverberate all year long. “To 
hear it this time of year should 
stay with you,” he says. “It 
should continue to wake us 
up to the many opportunities 
we have to do good things 
around us.” 
Are you looking for a few 

good things to try for the new 
year? How about putting extra 
effort into…
• Being kind
• Loving your family
• Taking care of people 
who need help
• Being patient
• Showing appreciation 
Working on doing something 
better this year? 
Maybe you want to talk 
about it at the table, when 
you’re sitting down to one of 
the holiday’s dinners. It’s a 
great chance to get a window 
into how everyone’s looking 
to do their best and improve 
themselves for the year 
ahead.

Going into Yom Kippur, 
which starts Tuesday evening, 
Oct. 4, and ends at night Oct. 
5, there’s also very much a 
chance to think about our 
relationships with other 
people and God, explains 
Temple Israel’s Rabbi Jennifer 
Kaluzny. 
“The idea is that there’s 
an opportunity to make 
amends,” she says. “Our 
tradition is very clear that if 
you’ve hurt somebody, you 
have to make amends with 
that person. It’s the power of 
taking responsibility for your 
actions and understanding 
the importance of forgiveness 
and forgiving.” 

SEPTEMBER 22 • 2022 | 61

