On one side of the freeway, the deep charcoal gray clouds signal the ominous deluge of much-needed rain that will nourish the ultra-dry terrain in Southern California. On the other side of the freeway, the sun sparkles against the tall glass buildings in an eerie juxtaposition of light and darkness.
Both the sun and the rain are necessary for the growth of living things. When they do come together, they create a rainbow, the symbol of God’s covenant with humanity.
Our daily lives are a mixture of sun and rain, light and darkness, good and bad, ups and downs. As we turn the calendar page, we seek change at the same time as we seek renewal.
As Jews, we have many concerns in 2017 – the implications of the United Nations vote about Israel, the changes that are taking place in our own country, the challenges faced by Jewish institutions and the issues in our daily lives. For many 2016 was difficult, but there is always hope for the future.
Let us hope that the kind of balance that prevails in nature will remind us of the balance we should be seeking in our lives and in our world. Let us hope that we can find it.