Holiday Poem: last turn
without a leg to stand on
I’ve got to keep spinning
just to remain upright
keeping you in suspense
which side of mine will He show you
— nun, gimmel, hei, shin —
as the nine flames illuminating me
slowly dim
until then
you can only guess
your fortune
The eighth and final day of Hanukkah is known as Zot, or Zos, Chanukah, which is a paraphrase from a verse (Numbers 7:84) in the Torah portion that is read that day. According to Jewish tradition, Zos Chanukah is the final “seal” of the High Holy Day season and is considered an auspicious time for repentance and the fulfillment of prayers.
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
