When we thought about our High Holy Day theme this year, we wanted it to be aspirational. So many of our prayers ask for peace, so much of our spiritual energy is invested in finding calm and understanding, compassion and love. And yet, more and more we heard that people feel (especially since the pandemic) that the world is a cold, difficult place, where hatred and anger outweighs love, compassion and kindness. We may not be able to solve all of the world’s problems with one song, or one theme, but if each of us embraced the love inside of us, and reached out with KINDNESS towards each other, we can change one person at a time, and that KINDNESS is passed on to the next person, and the next, and in that way, we can begin to make the world a kinder place for all of us. Rabbi Tarfon tells us that although we may not be able to finish (making everyone in the world kinder), we still have to do the work, for after all, if we don’t begin to be kinder ourselves, how can we expect it of others. Shana Tovah, may this year be a year filled with sweetness, love, and kindness for the whole world.