Dear Temple Beth Am members,

I wanted to wish you a healthy and happy New Year and then I thought, that's not really the translation of the Hebrew "Shanah Tovah u'Metukah" - a good and a sweet year.  However, the Hebrew is also problematic. Isn't it sufficient to simply wish someone a good year?  Doesn't that incorporate everything else?  The answer is No.  Some things may be good for you, but not sweet.  Remember the food you got as a kid which you "hated" the taste, but your mother said: "Eat it.  It's good for you."  She was probably correct, but I still didn't enjoy it.  So some things that happen to us in life may be good for us, but leave a bitter taste.  Thus we wish that it be good and sweet sweet.  Having said all of this, let me now wish you, your family and all your loved ones, a good year, a healthy year, a year filled with prosperity and happiness... Not to mention a SWEET YEAR.

Rabbi Brown and family