The last I left you off, I had went to the eye doctor and he told me to keep the hope for the left eye.
That night, was the start of the Jewish new year Rosh Hashana. My family gathers at my house, family and Jewish friends gather around the dining room table. The first night there was 18 of us. The second night I think there was 23 of us.
My mom makes this big feast. We had apatizers, then salad then Matzo ball soup then we break for a short time. Then the main cource comes out. Brisket, turkey, sweetish meatballs, mash potato, peas, kugil, stuffen, cramberry sauce, ... Basicly american thanks given meats jewish family lol.
The second night we had appatizers, salad, garbage soup, break, baked chicken, chicken fingers for me and the other kids lol. baked potato, broccoli, hmm I dont remember what else.
And of course desserts and desserts and oh, more desserts along with coffee and tea both nights.
Thursday morning I went to temple.
Now... Everyone remembers what the DR said to me the day before, right???
So the Rabbi's surmon on the first day of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, was on ... HOPE
We need to have hope for the new year 
(I opoligize I dont recall any of his great stories)
On Friday morning it was day two of Rush Hashana, the Jewish New year.
Back to temple all dressed up in my suit and tie.
The Rabbi's surmon was on being optimistic for the new year
He had recently read a booked called The Power of Optimism by Alan Loy McGinnis. (but we'll get back to the book in a moment)
Rabbi said, let's break down this word optimistic.
We find the word opt, meaning the best. We want to try to be the best that we can be in this new year.
We find the word Optic, meaning vision. We need to vision a good year for ourselves. How can we make our life better for ourself.
Now we go back to the book he read.
I am going to list the 12 Characteristics. He grouped them and broke them down but I dont remember what he said or how he did it but I wish I had a transcript because it was very meaningful.
The Power of Optimism
12 Characteristics of Tough-Minded Optimists
01. Optimists are seldom surprised by trouble.
02. Optimists look for partial solutions.
03. Optimists believe they have control over their future.
04. Optimists allow time for regular renewal.
05. Optimists interrupt their negative trains of thought.
06. Optimists heighten their powers of appreciation.
07. Optimists use their imaginations to rehearse success.
08. Optimists are cheerful, even when they can't be happy.
09. Optimists think they have an almost unlimited capacity for stretching.
10. Optimists build lots of love into their lives.
11. Optimists like to swap good news.
12. Optimists practice the art of accepting what cannot be changed.
*********
Part of Rosh Hashana is that "the book" is opened.
From Rosh Hashana till Yom Kippur is remains opens and Yom Kippur we fast away our sins. We ask the lord for a fresh new start to the new year and for forgiveness for all the wrong which we have done.
Yom Kipur we attend temple both morning and evening.
The Rabbi's sermon on this day he asks 3 questions
(BTW for the morning part, it was the Rabbi's father who did the morning services, he's also a Rabbi)
The Rabbi had 3 questions.
The first question is "why am I here?"
Physically, why am I where I am standing. The answer is clear. His son was at another temple and so his father does the morning part of the services for us on Yom Kippor
The second question is "why am I here"
I know I wont tell this story as well as he did but I'll try to tell it ...
During the 1940's this young Jewish man was walking the street of poland. An SS officer walked up to him and asked where his papers are. (to prove he wasnt Jewish) a strange man walked past and said "jeremy, what did I tell you about leaving your house without your papers, go back home and get them"
if that stranger wasnt there and that stranger didnt say anything, who knows what would have been with the young man
one of the reasons he game was about why we are where we physically are. So why am I am in Massachusetts? easy because that's where my parents raised me and I chose not to leave
so we are where we are for a reason
A rabbi is walking down the street and a police officer stops him and says "where are you going?" the Rabbi stops and says "I dont know"
The police man looks at the Rabbi with a quisicle look and says "you dont know where you are going?"
Rabbi says "no officer"
The officer says, how about if I take you to jail and you ccan think about it for a few days.
So the rabbi went with a smile.
After 3 days the police man goes to the rabbi and says "ok, you had 3 days to think about where you were heading. Can you tell me now where you were heading"
The Rabbi says with a smile "yes, I was going to jail"
and the 3rd question was "why am I here"
why am I on plannet earth. what's my purpose in life?
the rabbi tells a true story
He went to college at what ever the name of the college for judaic studies.
He had went to hear a few rabbi's talk at local colleges. He knew that he was going to Rabbi school after he graduated.
So he goes to the school to sign up and the person says "that is very noble that you want to be a Rabbi but I have a question. when did you get the call?"
My rabbi says "I didnt get any call, I just came here"
1. Why am I here?
Why am I physically where I am standing?
2. Why am I here?
(I think?) If ...than...
3. why am I here?
Why did I choose the path that I did?
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