As I prepare for this final Shabbat of 2026, I’ve found myself reflecting on a simple question:
What am I carrying forward as I step into the year ahead?
That question came to me while reading this week’s parashah. Jacob is standing at the edge of a new chapter of his life. He is moving toward reunion, toward uncertainty, toward something unknown. And what strikes me most is that he does not go alone. He carries his family with him every relationship, every story, every complexity, into what comes next.
The Torah reminds us that moving forward does not mean shedding parts of ourselves. It does not require becoming someone new. It means holding what matters with care.
So my blessing for us this Shabbat is simple:
May we travel safely.
May our adventures be safe ones.
May our time with family and friends bring connection, not pressure.
And may we give ourselves permission to lean into the beauty of this season
not perfectly, but honestly.
As we carry ourselves into whatever comes next
a new year, a new chapter, or simply another week
may we carry forward what truly sustains us.
Shabbat shalom, and wishing you all a peaceful holiday season.
What We Carry Into the New Year
