My 2020 Intentions

It’s time for 2020 – a new year and a new decade! It’s pretty wild to think that over the course of the last decade, I graduated high school, started and finished college, started working, and now just got into rabbinical school. So much has changed over the last 10 years, and I’m ready to see what the next decade has in store. Last year, I wrote about some intentions and goals that I had for 2019, and I’m doing the same for 2020. I’ll start with the three intentions that I’m setting for myself this year, and then share some more specific goals.

Love Fiercely. Seek Truth. Do Good.
First intention – love fiercely. I’ve been doing a lot of reading and thinking about love recently, and I’m struck by just how powerful it is when we take it beyond our typical romantic relationship construct. Love is a radical force that changes people, structures, and time. So yes, I want to focus on my relationship and loving those closest to me better this year. But I also want to love myself more by taking care of my body, mind, and soul, and to also spread love to people I don’t know super well because, well, they’re human beings deserving of love and respect. Overall, I’m hoping to show more care, attention, and compassion for myself, those around me, and the world.

Second intention – seek truth. Yes, this year I’ll be starting rabbinical school at HUC-JIR, taking my exploration of Judaism to the next level. But I’m also hoping that my studies, as well as my exploration of new ideas and the world around me, will help me discover and hone my own truth about myself and my life. Through reading, traveling, meditating, and learning, I want to be constantly wrestling with some major questions: Who am I? Who do I want to be? What kind of world should we have? How do I want to live in that world? I’m excited for every book, conversation, trip, and experience that will help me seek out my truth, and the truths about our world.

And last but not least – do good. In the final episode of Boy Meets World, Mr. Feeny leaves Cory, Topanga, Shawn, and Eric with some sage advice: “Believe in yourselves. Dream. Try. Do good”. Although Topanga believes that Mr. Feeny means “do well”, he does in fact mean, “do good”. This year, I want to focus on doing good – for my family and friends, my communities, and the world. As part of that I want to donate a certain amount each month to organizations doing good work, continue volunteering each week, and stay involved with local and national social justice work. I also want to do good work in Israel and Palestine starting this summer, and, although I’ll be abroad, help in the 2020 elections and get progressive candidates into the White House and Congress.

Specific Goals
In addition to my intentions for the year, there are several specific goals that I have for myself for 2020. Check them out and let me know if you have the same goal – we can help each other out along the way!

• Start rabbinical school at HUC-JIR this summer
• Read 36 books (3 per month)
• Volunteer once a week
• Get better at reading and speaking Hebrew
• Write at least 5 blogs
• Take at least 3 trips to new places, including 1 international trip
• Maintain my energizing morning routine
• Donate at least $54 per month to social justice organizations

Again, let me know if you have a similar goal for 2020! Whether you have goals, resolutions, intentions, or themes for this year, I hope this year is one of love, truth, and justice for all of us and all the world. Happy 2020!