Back to School

By Richard S. Moline
KOACH Director

While summer's change of pace certainly is wonderful, the advent of a new year conjures up all sorts of feelings — excitement, anticipation, fear, uncertainty — and most of all, a whole world of possibilities. Challenge and opportunity are both knocking at our door. The intersection of our academic and Jewish years seems to bring this into particular focus.

As summer wanes and our minds reluctantly drift back to school and work, we are again confronted with that cyclical reality that manages to invade our personal space this time of year. Before we know it, the days will get shorter, we'll be spending more time with our books than our Frisbees and summer will become yet another memory.

Once those first few hectic days are over — days filled with setting up a dorm or an apartment, of buying even more books and downloading even more software — of figuring out how you're going to get all the way from one end of campus to another in just a few minutes — classes finally start. During this time, we begin to think about what is and what is to come. If only momentarily, we often forget about the immediate tasks at hand and dream about what lies ahead.

Ready for the segue?

We've just entered the month of Elul, the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It's a time when we rush to begin preparations for the high holy days and simultaneously slow down and take stock of ourselves.

While some Jews may view the festivals as burdensome or intrusive, others approach them with great excitement and anticipation. Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur give us a chance to look in the mirror — the mirror of our inner selves. The high holy days provide us with opportunities to examine relationships, to evaluate ourselves and to plan for the future. Sounds a little like college. Just as one makes an academic plan for the year, so too, can we make our own spiritual plan during this wonderful season.

Then, after this powerful introspection, we're provided with the opportunity simply to celebrate. We sit inside a sukkah and stimulate our senses with the lulav and etrog and then experience pure joy on Simhat Torah. After all of the intensity, it's almost like having a party after finals.

So now that we know it's available, how do we take advantage of this amazing opportunity, this intersection of the ordinary and the holy?

Take care of yourself. Don't be busy all the time. Start the year out knowing you're going to find your community. Find out where like-minded people are hanging out. It may be at Hillel, somewhere in the Greek system, a Jewish studies class or somewhere else entirely.

It's not always easy to follow this path alone. Know that it won't be perfect, that it will require some work on your end. Keep the following in your mind: family, friends, the Jewish people, Israel, the environment, troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, people who are not free to do what we take for granted. Add up the blessings in your life. Recharge your iPod. Laugh a lot. And, of course, be aware of everything KOACH has to offer. (you know I had to get that in)

There is no time like now. May this be a year of light and love, of peace and warmth and comfort – from all of us at KOACH to all of you and your families.

[Posted 8/31/08]