Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
· collected 2026-09-05 · by Ralph Genende
The article is an opinion piece written by Rabbi Ralph Genend about the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, which falls from sunset on Friday to nightfall on Sunday. The key numbers mentioned are September 21, the date of Yom Kippur following Rosh Hashanah. The author reflects on the challenges faced by Jews in a hostile world where antisemitism is prevalent, and argues that taking the "road less travelled" of faith requires courage and chutzpah. Rabbi Genend writes about his own experience of being Jewish in Australia after the Bondi attack and expresses hope for renewal and forgiveness during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, an American Jewish leader, described the path of faith as "the lonely man of faith." The Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, begins on *Friday* and ends on *Sunday*, followed by *September 21*'s observance of Yom Kippur. For Jews living in a hostile world with rising anti-Semitism, embracing their faith can be particularly challenging. Some Jews are hiding or downplaying their identity to avoid harassment.
Written for “New Year's Optimism” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 4744 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-05
The celebrated American poet Robert Frost put it well in his evocative poem: “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveller, long I stood …
uncertain
I → put → wood
I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.”
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that → take → difference
One of the critical challenges for a person of faith in an indifferent and often faithless world is to find the courage to take the road less travelled.
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One → find → road
Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik called it the pathway of “the lonely man of faith”.
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Soloveitchik → call → faith
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, which falls from sunset this Friday until nightfall on Sunday, followed by Yom Kippur on September 21, is a call to all Jews across the world to renew, rediscover or initiate their commitment to follow that road.
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which → fall → road
If the pathway of religion and religious tradition is a challenging one for all people of faith in a secular Western environment, it is a heightened challenge for people of the Jewish faith.
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it → challenge → faith
Being Jewish today in a hostile world where antisemitism is being expressed with alarming intensity and frequency, takes courage and chutzpah.
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antisemitism → express → courage
Many Jews are concealing their identity or compromising it to reduce the antagonism being directed at them.
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Jews → conceal → them
This has certainly been the experience of Australian Jews since October 7, and exacerbated since the Bondi attack.
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This → exacerbate → attack
Too many of us feel abandoned by people we once considered friends.
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we → feel → people
Critics accuse us of exploiting our so-called privilege and our honourable contribution to Australian society, while blaming us for drawing attention to ourselves.
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Critics → accuse → ourselves
Our defence of our ancient connection to the holy land of Israel has been weaponised and politicised, as though we alone were responsible for Israel’s actions in this complex and devastating war.
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we → weaponise → war
Despite all this, I delight in taking the road less travelled.
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I → delight → road
Its twists and turns offer promise and opportunity, introducing me to people of faith and no faith who seek meaning, security and hope in a seemingly cold and indifferent world.
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who → offer → world
It also prompts me to look within and consider what I can do to help heal our wounded planet.
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I → prompt → planet
The journey is not always easy; at times, I stumble over the potholes and undergrowth along this seldom-travelled road.
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I → stumble → road
Although the Jewish New Year is distinctly Jewish, symbolised by the sounding of the ram’s horn, or shofar, its liturgy and prayers are universal rather than parochial.
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liturgy → symbolise → horn
We are encouraged to reflect on and pray for “all the inhabitants and creatures of this world, who pass before the creator like beloved sheep before their shepherd”.
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who → encourage → shepherd
There is also a lightness and joy to these days because they are based on the possibility of change in the human heart, the capacity for forgiveness and the conviction that new beginnings are within our reach.
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beginnings → be → reach
On these days, Jewish people will gather in synagogues and share celebratory meals with family and friends.
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people → gather → family
They will raise cups of blessing, eat sweet apples dipped in honey, and wish for a sweeter, gentler and more peaceful year ahead for all of humanity.
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They → raise → humanity
Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own.
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that → get → own
