I am drawn to the water. You probably wouldn’t be surprised that “Moana” is my favorite Disney film—“The sea, it calls me.” From the parting of the Red Sea, to prayer for rain and dew, to the custom of mikveh, Judaism is latent with whisperings that we should follow the currents, immerse ourselves in water and grow our communities around water. This water thing—it’s true of pretty much every culture and civilization ever. So, it’s only natural that as we start a new Jewish year, we return to the water, this grounding life source.

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Tashlich, a ritual of casting our proverbial sins (and perhaps, our hopes) into the water, is one of my favorites. After hours in a synagogue, it feels great to get out and feel the sun and the breeze and get close to the water. As we throw symbolic breadcrumbs into a stream, they become absorbed by nature—perhaps dissolved by the water or consumed by the ecosystem it lands in. We merge the physical with the spiritual and think deeply about what baggage we’re holding onto and what we’re ready to let go of, so we can free ourselves for a fresh start.

Want to do tashlich your own way this year? Download our DIY guide by clicking on the image below.

Tashlich guide

Interested in experiencing tashlich and other holiday rituals? Check out Stef’s Guide to 5779 in Boston or email mohocambridge@gmail.com to hear more about what’s going on with MoHo this season!

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