Happy (secular) New Year in 2026! Only in Judaism do we get four New Years to celebrate. The ancient Jewish calendar organized time around the spiritual, agricultural, legal and ritual rhythms of life.
Instead of expecting one date to do all the heavy lifting, our tradition created four “start lines” to mark four different kinds of beginnings:
- Rosh Hashanah (1 Tishrei), the birthday of the world and our spiritual reset.
- Tu B’Shvat (15 Shevat—coming up Feb. 2), the “New Year of the Trees.”
- 1 Nisan, the New Year for kings and festivals and the gateway to Passover.
- 1 Elul, the New Year for animal tithes — and today, a soulful warmup for the High Holy Days.
These New Years made sense in a world shaped by farming, harvest cycles and Temple offerings. Just like we now have a school year, fiscal year and calendar year, ancient Jews needed multiple “beginnings” to keep life organized. Now, since many also celebrate Jan. 1 as a new year, American Jews get five New Years — which, if you ask me, is five reasons to celebrate at the Weiner Religious School (WRS).
As we moved through the flurry (or glorious downtime) of winter break, the halls of Congregation Beth Torah continue to glow with laughter and learning. Hanukkah brought its usual spirit of resilience and renewal, and we saw that shine through in our students each week. Our young learners continue to grow in class as thinkers, friends and emerging Jewish leaders. Our teachers also stretched their skills — experimenting with new Hebrew techniques for the second semester and deepening their work with Torah, holidays, values and Jewish culture. We remain deeply grateful for our WRS families, whose creativity, partnership and feedback help shape everything we do.
One of the brightest moments of the year was our beautiful consecration ceremony on Jan. 11 during “Shavua Tov T’filah” with Rabbi-in-Residence Steve Burnstein and Music Director Lezlie Zucker. Consecrants gathered beneath our chuppah on the bima as parents and children stood before the Torah. In this moving ritual, parents wrapped their children in a symbolic Torah while the congregation recited the Shema and other prayers. Consecration marks the beginning of a child’s lifelong Jewish journey — toward b’nai mitzvah, confirmation and a lifetime of Torah. We are so proud.
Our values came alive again through tzedakah when Beth Torah partnered with Repair the World, the CBT Social Justice Committee and Harvesters for our “Birthday in a Box” mitzvah project. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we collected cake mixes, frosting, candles, balloons and other party supplies to bring birthday joy to dozens of families.
As we step into spring, we carry the warmth of Hanukkah and the promise of Tu B’Shvat with us — reminders that our roots grow deeper when we nurture one another, and our light shines brightest when shared. Whatever milestone or New Year you’re celebrating, remember: Judaism teaches that life has many beginnings, and each one deserves its own blessing.
