On September 17 last year, a spontaneous movement erupted that brought thousands together to change the way America looks at our democracy.

One year later, thousands have gathered at ground zero of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Zucotti park, to re-occupy and remind America that there is still a whole lot of work to be done to restore America to greatness.

In the midst of what will likely be a defining election campaign, the Occupy Movement has chosen to not choose sides, and not allow itself to be defined by politics. America needs a conscience, and it needs a mirror.

This movement has been both, and it has changed the course of the zietgeist: Pre-OWS, all anyone in the mainstream pundit class wanted to talk about was the deficit. Post-OWS, the conversation had shifted radically, taking on such hitherto taboo subjects as income inequality, economic justice and whether this country is run for 1 percent of the people, or for 100 percent of the people.

Now, activists and average folks have returned to Zuccotti Park from all across the country. They have no plan, they have no party – but they do have demands, and they do have goals.

This is also the eve of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, a time of renewal and redemption, and fittingly, a group of activist Jews are holding services at the park.

It’s unclear what the police response will be to all this, but both yesterday and today the NYPD engaged in shameful attacks on peaceful protesters and indiscriminate arrests that appeared to be targeted at leaders of the movement. Considering the violence and brutality with which the NYPD tried to disrupt OWS last year, it’s likely that we will see outrages over the next few days as well as inspirations.

Stay with us as we cover this next phase.

Follow the events as they unfold live on UStream.

(Zuccotti photo by katz, Rosh Hashanah photo by Libor Von Schonau.)