Back to the Beginning
In Judaism, there is a rhythm to studying the Torah. Each year, on Simchat Torah, at the end of the High Holy Days, we symbolically and practically roll back the Torah scrolls and start reading again from the beginning. It’s a reminder that learning is never finished — that the same text can speak differently each time we encounter it.
Other traditions have their own ways of circling back. Maybe it’s rereading a beloved book, practicing scales again on the piano, starting a new calendar year with resolutions, or returning to a favorite trail. There is joy in beginning again, and in noticing how much we’ve changed since the last time.
I’ve been thinking about that cycle of renewal — which is why, after 30 years of working in the Jewish world, I signed up for a Judaism 101 class with the incomparable Rabbi Michele Faudem.
Wait, what? Yes, I have a certificate in Jewish communal service, and I live a life deeply shaped by Jewish rhythm, practice, and learning. I can hold my own around text and ritual. And still, I wanted to go back to the basics.
Back in my 30s and 40s, I studied almost every week through the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning (now JLearn). Our class used to joke that after so many years together, we could apply for a “PhD in Melton.” Those conversations were nourishing and grounding.
Now, with more flexibility in my time, I find myself curious to see what I know through a new lens: who I am now, what the world feels like now, and what truths rise to the surface in this season of life. The texts themselves don’t change, but the way we meet them does.
And this isn’t just about Torah study. It’s about returning to something foundational and asking: What does it mean to me now?
For some, that might mean reconnecting with a cause you once supported but let drift to the margins. For others, it might mean taking a class, exploring a passion, or rediscovering a practice that once brought meaning.
- Maybe it’s revisiting a commitment to Hadassah or the Humane Society — organizations you once supported and still care about.
- Maybe it’s remembering the joy of summer camp and supporting Tamarack Camps or your local YMCA so the next generation has the same chance.
- Maybe it’s joining a Jewish Learning Collaborative, taking a course through Masterclass, or simply rereading a book that shaped you.
The possibilities are endless.
So I’ll leave you with these questions — and I’d love to hear your answers:
What philanthropies or charities were important to you when you were younger, but you’ve drifted from?
What do you want to learn about now?
What is something old that you’re revisiting with new eyes?
What are you learning — or relearning?
Whether through sacred text, personal practice, or renewed commitments, beginnings are never really behind us. They’re always waiting to be opened again.
How might we begin — together?
Fondly,
