Count Your Blessings. Then Be One.

Hinei mah tov umah na’im, shevet achim gam yachad.

How good and how pleasant it is when we dwell together in unity.

These familiar words celebrate one of the greatest blessings of Jewish Life: being together. And lately, I’ve been thinking about how fortunate we are to have people and a community to share our lives with.

This time of year always seems especially full. We’ve just come through weeks of meaningful Jewish holidays, with all the planning, cooking, hosting, gathering, and reflecting that come with them. It’s a wonderful season, but also a busy one. And I suspect many of us are ready for a little rest.

When life gets busy, it’s easy to lose sight of the little things that bring us joy. I know there are times when I get caught up in what’s next rather than appreciating what’s right in front of me.

That’s when I think about Irving Berlin’s “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep.” When worry keeps us awake, the song invites us to turn our attention toward the blessings in our lives. It’s a wonderful life lesson taught to me by my Grandma Rose, via Bing Crosby.

It feels like good advice for our waking hours, too.

In Pirkei Avot, we learn: “Who is rich? One who rejoices in their portion.” There is something powerful about pausing long enough to recognize what we already have: someone who loves us, a friend who checks in, a place at the table, a community to call our own.

And once we begin counting those blessings, perhaps we can ask another question: What blessing can I be for someone else?

Sometimes it is patience. Sometimes it is a phone call, an invitation, or a willingness to listen. Sometimes it is giving someone the benefit of the doubt and letting a small irritation pass without making it bigger. Sometimes it is recognizing that someone is tired or overwhelmed, and simply asking, “How can I help?”

These are everyday ways we bring Hinei Mah Tov into our lives. Because the joy of community isn’t only about the moments we share. It’s about how we make one another feel, and the relationships we create and nurture along the way.

We have just spent weeks praying, reflecting, and thinking about the people we want to become. Now comes the everyday work of putting those intentions into practice in our homes, our offices, and our friendships.

And this Sunday, Sababa offers another opportunity to do just that. We’ll gather in downtown Clayton for a day filled with Jewish music, food, and art, and share in the joy of community. Sometimes being together is exactly what we need to remember how much we have to be thankful for.

We are ONE people. We bring different perspectives, personalities, and experiences to our community. That’s part of what makes it so vibrant. And through it all, we share something extraordinary: a connection to one another and a responsibility to care for each other.

This Shabbat, I hope we’ll all find a moment to count our blessings, appreciate the people around us, and think about how we can be a blessing to someone else.