'May You Be Sealed for Goodness'

G'mar Hatimah Tovah! May you and your family be sealed for blessings of good health, prosperity, wisdom, joy, fun, peace, and much love in the Book of Life.

Given the history over the years of Muslim nations attacking Israel during a holiday, the IDF has been staying hyper-aware and prepared for any sort of attack during this High Holiday period. We can only pray that their preparation is not necessary, and that this new year of 5787 brings peace to us, Israel, the U.S., and the world.

Reuters has reported that Saudi Arabia's oil reserves designated for export will run out within five to seven days if pipeline operations through the Red Sea are not resumed in the coming days. This could lead to the loss of approximately 4% of global oil supply, which would radically affect oil prices. The Houthis have been claiming to have more and more control of the passage, as well as repeatedly attacking Saudi Arabia; so as this new Jewish Year begins, we may all be seeing some economic chaos regarding oil.

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump again forecast that the war with Iran will actually be over before the midterms or shortly thereafter.

I think it's good to constantly remind ourselves of the actual intentions of Turkey and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and his/their desire to build a worldwide caliphate with Turkey at the center. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday that President Erdoğan "will visit Syria soon." According to him, "Israel is constantly undermining Syria's stability, which serves the interests of terrorist forces in the region. Israel's policy is the greatest obstacle to positive developments in Damascus. We are doing everything we can to develop relations between Turkey and Syria."

Again, Israel and the Jews are being used as a misdirection to justify the expansion of a caliphate run by Sharia Law. It is a simple public relations formula that they are using:

Step 1: Blame the Jews. Play upon the antisemitism that is inherent in so many people.
Step 2: Identify Muslim causes as being victims of "the Jews/Israel.” Rewrite actual history, and cast Muslims as victims of the evil Jews.
Step 3: Form alliances between Muslims or Muslim organizations and political groups whose beliefs Islam is actually antithetical to. As an example, ally with far left causes even though Islam punishes gays with death and women have no rights under Sharia law.
Step 4: When anyone points out the realities of Islamic theology, the Koran, or Islamic terrorism, attack that person as an "Islamophobe,” a word invented by the Muslim Brotherhood and made popular by CAIR in order to attack as a "bigot" anyone who points out the truth of Islam and the Koran.
Step 5: Place Muslims who are committed to a worldwide caliphate of Sharia law in positions of leadership culturally (i.e., Hasan Piker) and especially politically (Mamdani, Tlaib, el-Sayyed).
These five steps are being done, all too successfully, and prepare the way for step 6: Destroy Western culture and replace it with police no-go zones, Sharia communities, jihadi gangs, and ultimately, Sharia law taking precedence over American laws.

And all of this taking place in conjunction with the expansion of a worldwide caliphate centered around either a Shia Muslim regime (Iran) or a Sunni Muslim regime, such as Turkey.

As we enter this new year, let us all choose to be aware of what is actually going on in the world and the war against Jews, Christians, and Western civilization. And let us also all choose to bring more light into the world through our words and actions. As I said on Rosh Hashanah, let us dance joy into healing our pain and bringing light into the world. For those who were not at services (which you can watch here; the sermon begins at 2:02:15)

I also want to invite you to comment, like, share, and subscribe to The Rabbi's Table; the latest episode is about 9/11, God, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and includes a discussion with Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.). You can find it on all podcast platforms.

May this new year bring everything good for you and your family, and may this new year bring us all to a time of a lasting peace for Israel, the U.S., and the world.

G'mar Hatimah Tovah: May you be sealed for good in the Book of Life, and Chazak u'Baruch: Be strong and be blessed.

Rabbi Michael Barclay

September 13, 2026

3rd of Tishrei, 5787

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