And should you say anything at all?
The short answer: Yes. (And if you swipe through the Instagram post above, you’ll find all the information on what exactly to say.)
The longer answer: …Well, actually, let me try to give the longer answer in the form of a love letter to my non-Jewish readers.
To all of you reading this who are not, in fact, Jewish: I want to say thank you, first of all, simply for being here and for supporting my page. It means so much that you’re willing to appreciate customs, traditions, and rituals outside of your own.
As you’ve probably gathered from my 983743234 posts on the subject, tomorrow evening is the start of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. This is one of the holiest, most important days on the Jewish calendar year—a day on which Jews all over the world celebrate the creation of the world and all humanity.
You might be wondering if you should say something to your Jewish friends to mark the occasion.
Yes, you absolutely should.
In fact, it’s more important than ever to do so.
Why?
Well, right now, Jews are experiencing an alarming increase in antisemitism, violence, threats, and conspiracy theories. A recent report from the ADL revealed that antisemitic incidents in the U.S. have hit a four-decade high. A survey released this week showed that 23% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 39 believe the Holocaust was a myth.
That’s why, this year, your willingness to publicly stand against baseless hatred means more than ever.
Your willingness to uplift your Jewish friends means more than ever.
Your allyship and love mean more than ever.
And on the most important day of our year, accomplishing all of the above can be as simple as saying two words: “Shana Tova.”
I hope you’ll choose to say them.
With love and gratitude,
