“As Jewish Albertans mark the Day of Atonement, I wish everyone a day of deep and meaningful reflection. Many people will be isolated at home, watching services online. That’s an unavoidable consequence of the pandemic, but it also points to the true nature of this day.
“Yom Kippur is a time where the Jewish community examines their conscience as they atone for their own words and acts. No one else knows others’ hearts and minds or what they are atoning for.
“However, this doesn’t weaken the community. The Jewish people are bound together by threads that span the world and date back thousands of years. These threads have never been broken by war, persecution or wandering – and the coronavirus can’t break them either. Despite empty synagogues this year, Alberta’s Jewish communities are strong and thriving, as they always are and always will be.
“G’mar chatimah tovah.”