The Real New Year: Writing Our Way into Freedom

by Mindy | www.mindy.studio

I’m Mindy. I made Aliyah with my family in September 2022, and I’ve been on a path of returning — to Eretz haKodesh, to Torah, and to myself.

I wasn’t raised religious. My journey back has been slow and real, full of steps forward and backward. I’ve learned that teshuva doesn’t always look like what people expect. Sometimes it’s a shift in the heart. Sometimes it’s a decision to light candles even when your world feels unlit.

I also didn’t move to Israel expecting war — but it found me, and all of us living here.

We are surrounded by enemies — physically, politically, spiritually. But oddly, in the midst of all this, my bitachon — my trust in God — has grown stronger than ever.

Because when you’re living with uncertainty every day, you either disconnect or dig deep.
And I’ve chosen to dig deep.

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I see miracles all the time — not in some abstract way, but in the most personal, tangible ways.

The fact that my kids wake up safe.
The way the Iron Dome works with split-second precision.
The timing of things that shouldn’t have “worked out” but did.
The feeling I get when I pray and know I’m not alone.

The heart-stopping colors and intricate designs of the spring flowers here.

These aren’t things I can fully explain. But I feel them.

And in the quiet moments, I sit and write. That’s where I process it all — the fear, the hope, the confusion, the wonder.

That’s why I started a women’s journaling group.

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We will meet on Wednesdays, in Zichron Yaakov or online.

It’s not a class or a writing workshop. It’s a space — one that’s real, open, and safe. We write together. We reflect. We connect. There’s no pressure to share unless you want to. There’s also a WhatsApp group for inspiration and connection between sessions.

You don’t have to be a “writer.” You just have to be someone who wants to take a breath, pick up a pen, and hear what’s really inside.

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This season — the days around Pesach — holds even more meaning right now.

Nisan, the month of Pesach, is called by God in the Torah:
“The beginning of months, the first of the year for you.” (Exodus 12:2)

While Rosh Hashanah marks the creation of the world, Pesach marks the beginning of our story as a people — the birth of a nation, the start of freedom, the first steps out of slavery.

And that story isn’t over.
Every year, we’re invited to leave our own personal Egypt — whatever is holding us back, keeping us small, making us forget who we are.

This year, I feel it more than ever.

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In Jewish mysticism, Nisan is a month of light, of spiritual movement, of beginning again. It holds the energy of miracles — the kind that defy logic and speak to something higher at work.

Astrologically, it’s aligned with Aries, the first sign — bold, brave, and full of fire. Not fire that burns down, but fire that clears a path.

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If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or spiritually dry — you’re not alone. But this season is still a time of hope, of movement, of trusting something deeper.

And maybe it starts with something as simple as a blank page and a few quiet minutes with yourself.

We’re not writing for perfection. We’re writing for clarity, for healing, and for the strength to take one more step forward — even in a hard time.

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Women’s Journaling Group
Wednesdays | Zichron Yaakov or Online
www.mindy.studio
Message me to join the WhatsApp group

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Pesach-Themed Journaling Prompts

Here are a few prompts to help you connect to this season through writing:

1. What is my personal Egypt right now?
   What am I ready to leave behind, even if it’s scary?
2. Where have I seen or felt miracles in my life recently?
   Don’t overthink. Trust what comes.
3. What does real freedom look like for me — in my mind, body, home, or relationships?
4. How has living through fear, tension, or war changed my relationship with God or myself?
5. What do I want to carry with me into this next chapter — and what can stay behind in Mitzrayim?

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If you’re ready to reflect, to reconnect, and to write your way through this sacred season — I’d love to welcome you into our circle.

You’re not alone in this journey.
You’re invited — just as you are.