It’s not just the anthropomorphic deity who moves this time of year (see my previous post!)—it is all of us. We are building towards Teshuvah, ten days of it. Teshuvah often translates as repenting, but I feel it better translates as “returning.” One has to move to return—whether that is returning a purchase, returning to the synagogue (as many people do at this time of year), or returning home.

Even before we dig deeper into the movement aligned with this time of year, the very essence of being Jewish has to do with movement. When we first meet Abraham and Sarah, the qualifiers used for them in Torah are not “Jews” or “Israelites”—they are called “Ivri.” While that word has morphed into “Hebrew” to our modern ears, it is more than a name of a language or tribe. “Ivri” means “one who crosses over to the other side.” Being a spiritual descendant means being people who move when moving is necessary.

These movements can be physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual in nature. As Jews, we always ask ourselves: Where do you stand? Where do you need to move to—in body, heart, mind, or spirit? How are you going to get there?