On Jan. 1, millions of people worldwide made New Year’s resolutions. According to statistics, roughly 80% will abandon them before February. We’ve all been there: the gym membership that goes unused by March, the diet that falls apart after a difficult few weeks, the promise to finally learn that new skill that quietly fades into the background of our busy lives.
But what if this year, instead of resolving to lose weight or get organized, you made a resolution that would genuinely feed your soul?
Since Oct. 7, 2023, we’ve witnessed an unprecedented spiritual awakening among Jewish people worldwide. At Aish, where I work in communications, the numbers tell a striking story: Our daily video views jumped from around 1 million per day to more than 1.7 million in the months following that dark day. Our social media following expanded by 750,000 new followers; engagement increased by 128%.
Yet beyond these statistics, the personal testimonials we received from Jewish people around the globe revealed a deeper truth: Something profound was stirring within the global Jewish community.
In Israel, the invisible boundaries between “secular” and “religious” began to dissolve as people sought meaning, connection and spiritual grounding amid profound national trauma. Today, if you visit Tel Aviv—long the symbol of secular Israeli culture—you’ll witness synagogues filled with young people. Prior to the High Holidays, throngs of teenagers attended Selichot prayers. This trend has continued with rising Shabbat attendance and increased observance. It isn’t happening because of social pressure or obligation, but from a genuine place of searching and spiritual thirst.
Tair Golan, also known as “The TikTok Rebbetzin,” a former model who now covers her hair and teaches young secular Israeli women about spirituality, holds classes that overflow with attendees both in person and online. Popular Israeli music has begun reflecting this spiritual renaissance as well. Ben Tzur’s “Thirsty Souls,” a song about honestly searching for connection to God, captures the essence of this moment.
Research from Reichman University confirms what we’re witnessing: some 37% of young Israelis between ages 15 and 18 are turning to religion for healing, strength and belonging.
This spiritual hunger extends far beyond Israel’s borders. Jewish communities worldwide are experiencing a similar awakening as people seek deeper meaning and connection to their heritage in these turbulent times.
If you’re going to make a resolution this year, why not harness this moment of spiritual openness? But here’s the key: For any resolution to truly take hold and create lasting change, it needs to be sustainable, incremental and ideally a small change that can be done consistently. As the saying goes, to change a habit, discipline is far more important than motivation.
Here are some simple spiritual resolutions you might consider:
• Commit to one act of kindness daily. Think outside the box. Include a family member, spouse, parent, child or co-worker. It can change each day, but be conscious of it. Pay good deeds forward. When someone does something kind for you, remember to pass that goodness along.
• Speak more favorably to and about other people. Do it in person and online. For guidance on how to bring positive speech into your life and become more conscious of the pitfalls of negative speech, check out: cleanspeech.com.
• Judaism is not a zero-sum game. Regarding Shabbat observance and other outward religious practices, you don’t have to state or even decide “I’m religious” or “I’m secular.” The Torah is an instruction book for how to live a good life, which is something to strive for in order to have a closer relationship with God. In every relationship, there are ups and downs—moments when one feels closer and moments when one feels further away. The point of living a Jewish life is trying to have as close a relationship with God as possible. The point of setting a goal is simply to do better than you were doing before.
I’ve learned that consistent, simple messaging does far more to establish a brand than big, grandiose one-off campaigns. The same principle applies to spiritual growth. Small but consistent steps, all moving in the same direction, create lasting transformation.
This year, make your resolution one that feeds not just your body, but your soul.
