As the Jewish New Year, Tishrei 5784, approaches, the President of the State, Isaac Herzog, publishes a special greeting to the citizens of Israel and the Jewish people celebrating the new year, in which he emphasizes the importance of national unity and the shared aspiration for reconciliation.
"In a short while, that special, precious, once-in-a-year moment will arrive when one year ends, and a new year begins. The sound of the shofar's blast cuts through the air, and the fresh autumn breeze of the end of the month of Elul, the month of mercy and forgiveness, carries with it hopes and expectations for the days to come. These are days of self-reflection, in which we ask ourselves what we want to leave behind and what we seek to continue as we walk on our path."
"Throughout our history, as a people and a nation, we have faced challenges that tested us and sometimes seemed insurmountable. More than once, there were those who sought to destroy us and employed formidable forces against us to conquer and annihilate us. Often, the crisis, the rift, the threat felt overwhelmingly large and insurmountable. Especially this year, as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, we must remember that what has consistently preserved us since then has been the simple, resounding knowledge that, no matter what – we remain together."
Herzog: "Our nation has been blessed with many good people"
"For we have no other land, and we have no other people. In one of my favorite songs, and perhaps one of the most Israeli ever written, Jonathan Geffen, may his memory be blessed, wrote: 'I gaze from the window to see if all this is true, I gaze from the window and murmur my prayer, the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, but in the meantime, do not take your hand from my hand.'
"Citizens of Israel, I am convinced that it will get better. It will be better because our people have been blessed with so many good women and men who are fighting for our 'togetherness.' And now, at this moment of soul-searching and a fresh start, let us all choose to join these forces – those who are fighting for this 'togetherness.' Let us choose each other, one another."
"Let us choose with a ready faith, for the good and the better, that despite all the disagreements and disputes, we continue together – until it gets better. May this year waiting for us around the corner be a year of peace, joy, health, stability, security, peace and serenity, and of recognizing the other, mutual respect, and togetherness. Happy and sweet New Year, Israel."