Stepping Into 2026

As we step into a new year, we also open the book of Shemot, the beginning of Exodus. It is a parsha that does not begin with freedom or miracles, but with people who feel overwhelmed, stretched, and uncertain about what comes next.

And yet, this is where redemption begins.

The Jewish people are not rescued all at once. Change starts quietly with courage in small moments, with names remembered, with the decision to keep going even when the path forward is unclear. Moshe himself does not see himself as a leader. He hesitates. He questions. And still, he steps forward.

There is something deeply grounding about beginning a new year this way. 2026 does not ask us to have everything figured out. It asks us to show up to take the next right step, to notice where responsibility is calling us, and to believe that even gradual movement matters.

As a community, and as individuals, we carry strength we do not always recognise in ourselves. The story of Shemot reminds us that transformation often begins before we feel ready and that light enters not all at once, but through consistency, courage, and connection.

May this year bring clarity where it is needed, strength where it has been tested, and the confidence to keep moving forward together.