On
Rosh Hashanna we do not wish one another a “Happy New Year.” We say Shana Tova, which means “A good
year.” What is the difference? It is already here, so it is “new.” What we have come to find is not just an
acknowledgement that another year has passed, but we seek a cleansing of the
self, a purging of the negative parts of our person. We seek a “good” year not a “new” one.
“Between 1305 and the early 1800’s. the House of Taxis ran a form of pony express service all over Europe…. Its couriers clad in blue and silver uniforms, crisscrossed the continent carrying messages between princes and generals, merchants and money lenders.” –Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave We may think we are the first generation consumed by rapid communication but we are not. Throughout our history it has been a priority. Of course, now in the 21 st century we must ask: are we better or worse for it?
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