Reflection of the Month - Rabbi Dr. Margaret Jacobi

Making Decisions for ourselves

I vividly remember my first day of University because I wasn’t there.  It was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the most solemn day of the Jewish year, and so I spent the whole day in Synagogue.  However, I also remember that some of my fellow Jewish students chose to attend University instead of going to Synagogue, understandably not wishing to miss the very first day of their University education with all the introductions the day entailed.

For many students, coming to University means making decisions independently of one’s parents for the first time.  Away from home, parents are not there to tell you what to do. It can be lonely to decide to follow one’s religion away from home and family, but it can also be a time to realise what it means to you. 

This time of year, starting with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and culminating in Yom Kippur, is a time for exploring these questions.  These are days of repentance, when we look back at the last year and consider what we have done wrong and at what we have failed to do. We say sorry to those we have wronged and think about our responsibilities and priorities and how we wish to live our lives. The decision is ours and it is up to each person to decide for themselves what is meaningful and what their priorities are.  Although it was hard for me to miss the first day of University, it gave me a chance to think about what really mattered in life, before beginning an important new stage.

The Chaplains at the University are here to support you, whether you are a fresher, away from home for the first time, or in your final year, stressed and uncertain about the future – or indeed at any time in between.  We offer spiritual support, whether you want to explore your own religious tradition or you have no home tradition but want to explore and discover a spiritual path.  But more importantly, we are there to provide a friendly face, someone you can talk to freely, for example if you are missing home, in a non-judgemental way and without any motive other than to support you.  

As you begin a new academic year, may you enjoy your freedom to make decisions for yourself and take the opportunity to explore, ask questions and discover for yourselves what is important. Judaism teaches that we have a choice in what we do. Our past does not determine our future. Rather, we can determine the quality of our lives and decide to live a life which brings blessings to ourselves and others.

May this year be a good year for you, a year of fulfilment and of blessing.

This reflection was written by Rabbi Dr. Margaret Jacobi, our Progressive Jewish Chaplain. You can find out more about Margaret by clicking here to visit her profile.

The views expressed in this reflection are those of the Chaplain and do not necessarily represent the position of the University of Birmingham's Multifaith Chaplaincy.