set the communal calendar for a new month and a new life .
The Exodus narrative points to two essential elements of hope :
1 . embracing support from powers beyond you , including Divine Power and
2 . exercising your own power .
I call these the Hope of Acceptance and the Hope of Agency .
The Hope of Agency says : there is power within me to change things . The Hope of Acceptance says : there may be nothing I or we can change right now , but there are benign powers greater than we . Agency acts . Acceptance , well , accepts – its own limits and reliance on transcendent forces . The Hope of Agency works toward particular , cherished ends , while the Hope of Acceptance sustains a more global faith that a good future will unfold . For individuals and nations , both are needed . Depending on circumstances , each can be wise .
Judaism is a hopeful religion , despite calamities in our past and present . Hope was vital to our patriarchs , matriarchs , and prophets . Jewish liturgy , life cycle ritual , holidays , theology , and humor all reflect – and strengthen – great hope . Hope is necessary for teshuvah and tikkun olam ; improvement and repair would not be attempted without tikvah , hope . Israel ’ s anthem , Hatikvah , implicitly acknowledges that the House of Israel
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