Shanah Tova! I hope you all are enjoying a meaningful and satisfying holiday season. As we turn the Jewish calendar to a new year, it is also a time of reflection. The past couple of years have challenged our community, and ourselves, like none other in my memory. We have all learned to adapt to new ways of living, some of which we might let go of and some we might hang onto. Personally, I plan to hang onto my weekly Zoom visits with dear friends from our hometown of Los Angeles, my newfound love for sourdough baking, and an appreciation of the great outdoors, just to name a few. I hope to let go of an addiction to old sitcoms (maybe), a hyper-focus on my adult children’s lives (right, as if!), and a load of fear and anxiety (absolutely!).

The New Year also brings with it, mid-term elections. According to the League of Women Voters, Tennessee ranks 49th in the MIT Elections Performance Index, and only about half of eligible voters turning out in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections and the 2017 gubernatorial elections, according to the U.S. Elections Project. We have a chance to turn that tide. The deadline to register for the November 8th State and Federal elections is October 11th. The deadline to request an Absentee Ballots is November 1st. Early voting begins October 19th and runs through October 24th at the Howard Office Building, 700 President Ronald Reagan Way. All early voting locations open October 25th and run through November 3rd. Visit www.nashville.gov to find voting locations, voter registration forms, and more.

One more thing about elections. The State of Tennessee recently underwent a decennial redistricting process and several Tennessee districts have changed. For example, Nashville was split into three districts and for the first time, is now combined with parts of other counties. To learn what district represents you, visit: tinyurl.com/2s4k4unw

Thank you all for helping me to keep our community informed, and for your thoughtful letters and comments. It is my pleasure and an honor to serve as this publication’s Editor. I look forward to another exciting and interesting year. And remember, it is our constitutional right to vote, something that defines us as Americans, and illuminates our democracy. So, make your voice heard. Go vote.

Wishing you all a Sweet, Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year!