Now that Chanukah and Christmas are over, ‘tis the season for making New Year’s resolutions.  As we look towards 2014, many of us hope to improve our health, some of us might want to make more money, while others will try to accomplish something extraordinary in the next twelve months. People of faith, however, recognize that, “life without God is like a pencil without a tip – it’s got no point!” Religious people constantly seek ways to come closer to our Creator, and New Year’s is an ideal time to make resolutions improving our religious life.

All religions stress the importance of striving to be more God-like.  Christianity calls it “Imitatio Dei” (Imitation of God) while Judaism refers to it as “Halakhta bidrakhav” (Walking in His ways).  Both are based on Leviticus (19:2) which commands us “to be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” The Talmud asks a simple question based on this verse: how can any mere mortal even attempt to strive for Godliness? Isn’t that a bit presumptuous?!

Jewish tradition teaches that while it’s true that we can’t actually achieve Godliness, we must strive to emulate His many attributes described in the Bible.  So, for example, Exodus (34:6) reports that the Lord is compassionate, loving, merciful and slow to anger.  Accordingly, we must try to incorporate those traits into our own lives as well.

There is one time, however, that the Bible goes beyond mentioning Divine attributes and specifies what the Almighty does each day, “from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.”  Internalizing this lesson can direct us to a particularly meaningful 2014 New Year’s resolution.

With unusual precision, Deuteronomy (11:12) describes God checking in each day with the Land of Israel. “It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”  Certainly, the Almighty is concerned with every little town and village throughout the world, but the Bible goes out of its way to describe God’s special love for the Land of Israel as a place He seeks out each and every day.  As such, those of us who take the Bible seriously should make our New Year’s Resolution to emulate God by seeking the welfare of Israel on a daily basis during 2014.

Here are 6 ways you can seek out the welfare of Israel each day of 2014:

• We can pray for the peace of Jerusalem

• Educate our friends, colleagues and family members of the importance of standing with Israel.

• Defend Israel in our local newspapers when it is attacked by the media.

• Support Israeli charities.

• Say no to anti-Israel boycotts and buy Israeli products.

• Visit Israel in the coming year.

So good luck losing those ten pounds and saving up for a nice vacation this year. But don’t forget the most important New Year’s Resolution and make sure to connect with Israel each day of 2014, “from the beginning of the year to the end.”

Editor: What is your New Year’s Resolution? Tell us in the comments below!