Rejoicing in the Familiar this Sukkot

18 Tishrei 5783

Dear Covenant family,

Moadim L’Simcha! Here on the East Coast, autumn is upon us, with brisk temperatures, vibrant foliage, and hints of winter in the air.

I find that the fall season brings a quickened pace to my day—plans for Covenant Awards celebrations and grantee site visits and various consultations and projects take the place of the restorative and more creative days of summer.

And yet, there is beauty in this return to routine. Covenant Award recipient Rabbi Shai Held writes, “Sukkot is the holiday that celebrates the non-holiday (the yontef that delights in chol), the sacred time that celebrates regular time, the festival that celebrates not the highpoints but the morning after, and the morning after that as well.”

I hope you and your family can find a pocket of time to delight in the mundane this season. To see the stars through the s’chach of your sukkah, to smell the sharp sweetness of the etrog, to connect once again with your community and draw strength from all that is cyclical and familiar.

B’Shalom,

Joni

Joni Blinderman
Executive Director
The Covenant Foundation