Shabbat Shalom!
This week, for the first time this summer, I felt it: that little snap of cool in the air that foreshadows the coming of fall. The truth is that I’ve been seeing the not-so-subtle hints for a while—the school supplies section that keeps beckoning to me at Target, the mounds of High Holy Day binders multiplying on my desk, the back-to-school commercials on TV. Summer may still technically be with us, but clearly Target and the Jewish New Year have decided it is time to move on.
The rush to get the kids back to school has always felt both energizing and a little bittersweet. I’m excited for the new adventures, skills, friends, and learning that my kids bring home. But especially this year, as my kids both enter their final years at their respective schools, I’m also more aware of the passing of time.
There are the big milestones we know to anticipate—the first day of kindergarten, becoming B’nai Mitzvah, graduations. And then there are the quieter ones that sneak up on us and still hit us just as hard: the last first day at a particular school, the last year of a familiar routine, the moment we realize that something that has shaped our family life for years is about to change.
I was speaking to a dear friend this week who is, as I write this, packing up her car to take her youngest child to their first year of college. She told me she didn’t quite know how the house would feel when she and her husband came home. And it occurred to me that this is one of those enormous life moments for which we don’t have an easy ritual at hand.
Judaism is usually so good at ritualizing transitions. We have blessings for beginnings and endings, for moments of joy and moments of loss, even for seeing something or someone for the first time in a long time. Our tradition understands that marking a moment helps us recognize its importance and its holiness. And yet, there is no traditional blessing for walking back into a suddenly quiet house after dropping your youngest child at college. There is no bracha for realizing that the little kid who once needed help finding the right classroom no longer needs quite so much help.
And so, Rabbi Klein and I decided we would write our own blessings to mark these moments—one for those sending their children back to school, and one for those making the leap to a new chapter as kids leave for college. Even when change is good, it can still be hard—so we hope that these words provide comfort and strength in this time of transition for so many.
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by Rabbi Allie Klein
Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, South Orange, NJ
August 28, 2026
Adonai, my God and God of my ancestors, I thank You for the sacred privilege of raising my child(ren) within the walls of our home. You have granted me the joyous, demanding, holy work of parenting; stewarding my child(ren) from infancy to adulthood. As these rooms grow quiet and my child(ren) moves on to build a nest of their own, I ask for Your blessing upon this transition.
May You watch over my child(ren) as they leave our protected walls to travel paths near and far. Grant them resilience, a strong moral compass, and the courage to make their own way in this world. May God protect them from harm, and open their eyes to wisdom. May we all be comforted by the eternal intertwining of our hearts and souls, which time and distance cannot sever.
And to this quiet nest, bring a renewed spirit of peace, tranquility, and wonder. May this new chapter enable me to look outward, towards greater connection to my community. May it also allow me to look inward, offering the opportunity to discover new purpose and passion, deeper connection to my loved ones, and abundant joy in the unfolding chapters ahead.
The best and worst part of being parents is watching your child(ren) grow into adulthood…but in this bittersweetness, there is profound holiness. Thank you, God, for this gift that continues to unfold, and for the strength to embrace this new chapter.
Amen.
Blessing for A New School Year
by Cantor Rebecca Moses
Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, South Orange, NJ
August 28, 2026
Dear God, as a new school year begins,
may we enter it with curiosity, patience, and hope.
For our children:
May this be a year of discovery—
of new ideas and new possibilities,
of friendships deepened and friendships just beginning.
May you find teachers who see you and challenge you.
May you find the courage to ask questions, make mistakes, try again,
and make new mistakes the next time.
For parents and caregivers:
May you have the wisdom to know when to help and when to step aside;
when to ask a question and when to simply listen.
May you remember that our children are more than their grades, their accomplishments, their schedules, or their struggles.
May you help them measure themselves by kindness, curiosity, resilience, and joy.
For teachers, administrators, coaches, counselors, bus drivers, staff,
and all who care for our children each day:
May you be blessed with infinite patience when the days are long,
strength when the work is difficult,
and the knowledge that what you do truly matters.
For our whole community:
May we remember that raising and educating children is holy work.
May our schools be places of safety and belonging.
May our children learn not only how to succeed,
but how to be mensches—
how to notice one another, stand up for one another,
and help build a world of greater compassion and justice.
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu, v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
Blessed is the One who has brought us to the beginning of another year,
filled with all that we know—and all that we have yet to learn.
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Whatever this season of transition looks like in your home, I hope these blessings offer a small way to pause and mark it—to notice what is changing, to be grateful for what has been, and to make a little room for whatever comes next.
And if you opened this email expecting to read something about Dolly Parton, I’m sorry to disappoint you. You’ll just have to join me for services tonight. I promise, Dolly will make an appearance.
Shabbat Shalom!
Cantor Rebecca Moses