Every morning we say the blessing for light, giving thanks for the light of the sun and the moon, the light that enables us to see each other and not to stumble on our path. But at the end of the prayer, we ask for a new light, Or Hadash, to shine on the world. What is this new light? In Hebrew as in English, light is connected to enlightenment, to the realization of the mind and heart about the nature of the earth, our lives, and the lives of those around us. At this time of upheaval and advocacy for justice in our country, we are praying for a new light, the light that allows each of us to see the other as a creation of God, each of us entitled to respect and love, each of us obligated to each other’s welfare. May the physical light we see in the world help push us toward seeing this new light, spreading over all of us.