“The elder aims at becoming an ancestor. It is his or her next status…. The elder is an ancestor in training.”

—Malidome Somé

We Jews have accrued great wisdom and depth throughout our long history, and a great deal of wounding, as well, due to centuries of adversity. Epigenetic research now demonstrates what we may have intuited: that traumatic life events leave physiological imprints that can be transferred to future generations. As we enter our sage years, we must discern which of our ancestral legacies we wish to nurture and pass on into the world, and which ones must be faced, felt, and dissolved in the light of awareness. 

Each of us comes into this world with specific tasks — sacred repair work that is paradoxically connected to our wounds and the challenges that have befallen us and our bloodlines. By exploring and understanding the legacies that we carry, we can better accomplish this sacred work—to honor our soul’s calling and step into our own spiritual clarity, health, and wisdom. This prepares us to enter the role of being a helpful ancestor and ally to those who come after us.