High Holy Days

Letter to Sof from Rabbi Malka Haymer

Dearest Sof Maʻarav community,

I am so excited to be returning for the 5787 High Holidays! For those that don’t know me, my name is Rabbi Malka Haymer, and I grew up on Oʻahu. I spent my childhood at Temple Emanu-El, and since 2018, my family has been an active part of the Sof community. I cut my teeth, so to speak, at Sof –giving drashot (sermons) for Shabbat and holidays, and leading services. The support and warmth I received from you helped me to feel like I had something valuable to contribute to the Jewish community at large. In the fall of 2020, I made the life-changing decision to attend the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, CA. I graduated in May of 2025, and I thank you for being such an integral part of my journey! I have always been driven by cultivating deep, genuine connections with people. It’s essential both for living a healthy life and connecting to God and our tradition as well. The Torah teaches us that we are all made in the image of God, that we have a spark of Divine within us. This means, then, that the more we connect with ourselves, the better we connect to others. Like the old Mastercard commercial reminds us, the most precious things in life cannot be bought, because they are experiences. I believe that our experiences are the ultimate way to connect to God –especially through coming together to sing and pray on the High Holidays.

In a world that constantly seeks to draw us away from meaningful connection through endless distraction, the ancient practices of our tradition are more vital than ever. The High Holidays can be a difficult time of year for some of us –for many reasons. But there is so much beauty in it as well. As I prepare to come back to Sof for this holiday season, I’ve been learning one or two pieces of Mishna (ancient rabbinic teachings) a day. Though Yom Kippur is a solemn day filled with reflection, the rabbis describe it as a joyous day. The joy comes from the notion that forgiveness is always within reach if we are sincere in wanting to do better. Rosh Hashana is described as the Day of Judgement. Now, I know that for some of us, the word ‘judgement’ provokes difficult emotions. And it’s true that sitting with the magnitude of mistakes we have made can be very painful. But I want to remind you that God isn’t just another human, heaping criticism upon us. When we are judged by God, it is from a place of love and compassion that is hard to fathom. God doesn’t judge us in order to tear us down and make us feel worthless. God knows we contain greatness within us. The words of Modeh Ani, traditionally recited every morning, remind us of this: rabbah emunatekha, great is Your belief in us. The Creator of the universe is voting in our favor –giving us so much power to create a wonderful new year for ourselves! I’m looking forward to sharing many more thoughts, teachings, and songs with you as we journey through the portal of 5787! I sincerely hope you will join us in making sacred community.

With love,

Rabbi Malka