Month of Elul ; Period of Reflection, Conversation, and Action
Keeping Connected September 2024
Dear Friends,
Sunset tonight marks the beginning of the month of Elul; the month leading up to the High Holidays. It has become customary to use this time as a period for reflection, conversation and action. Jews do not mark Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as separate days in time, but rather as a part of a process. Elul is the beginning of this process. It is possible to celebrate the New Year without seizing this opportunity, but doing so is sure to add to the richness and depth of experience that these Days of Awe can afford us. I have offered a diverse list of suggestions below for you to consider as you think about how you want to prepare for this coming New Year.
You can also develop your own plan by taking the three components – reflection, conversation and action – and commit to one thing in each area.
For instance, you can
- Choose to spend the month reflecting on one aspect of your life (goals, beliefs, career, roadblocks, etc.)
- Think of a few people or even one person, that you have been hoping or needing to have a meaningful conversation with and then make it happen.
- Think of an area in your life or in someone else’s life that you can impact by doing something and then do it!
This has been a challenging year for so many and my hope is that these upcoming holidays will be a time for meaningful change and renewal. Please keep a look out for upcoming information about how we will celebrate and mark the Days of Awe at Congregation Shalom.
Warm regards,
Rabbi Shoshana Perry
Offerings from Hebrew College:
https://hebrewcollege.edu/elultogether/
Resources compiled by Rabbi Jill Berkson Zimmerman:
Books
This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared by Alan Lew (z’’l) Absolutely my favorite book of all time about the High Holy Days – profound and wise, Can’t recommend it enough. (Also available as eBook) http://www.amazon.com/This-Real-Completely-Unprepared-Transformation/dp/0316739081
60 DAYS: A Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays by Rabbi Simon Jacobson https://shop.meaningfullife.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=60D
Websites and Email subscriptions
Rabbi Rachel Barenblat (The Velveteen Rabbi) has a blog you can subscribe to. She is quite talented and insightful and always refreshing: http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/2013/08/blogelul-1-prepare.html
Rabbi Yael Levy is posting weekly and daily inspirations. You can subscribe to her blog here and also follow her on Facebook and Twitter: http://mishkan.org/a-way-in
Rabbi Phyllis Sommer is blogging and tweeting Elul. Check out her website to subscribe: http://imabima.blogspot.com
Journey into the High Holy Days with Amichai Lau-Lavie, the incredibly talented founder of Storahtelling has a daily email you can subscribe to. For the options on receiving his insights: http://labshul.org/?p=472
Meditation Preparing for Rosh Hashanah (podcast) by the amazing artist, singer and meditation teacher, Laura Hegfield:http://www.shinethedivine.com/podcasts/meditations/minuchablev/minuchablevrh.mp3?utm_source=Eluletter&utm_campaign=July+Newsletter&utm_medium=email
Rabbi Simon Jacobson has a daily email you can subscribe to, as well as a book called 60 Days, A Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays, Sign up for the daily newsletter here: http://www.meaningfullife.com/subscribe/index_60days_subscribe.php
Jewels of Elul – a daily email by different Jewish author, thinker or artist put together by Craig Taubman. This year, the topic is Welcoming. Subscribe here: http://www.letmypeoplesing.com/jewels/
Rabbi Mark Hurvitz: funny Tom Lehrer video about “being prepared” (Mark you are dating yourself) and APPS (yes) that include a daily shofar alarm: http://www.davka.org/2013/08/07/prepare/
Daily Meditations and Writing Exercises on Repentance by Rabbi Debra Orenstein http://www.rabbidebra.com/elul-meditations.html?utm_source=Eluletter&utm_campaign=July+Newsletter&utm_medium=email
Preparing for the New You from Reform Judaism Magazine (reflections from 9 Jewish thinkers) http://reformjudaismmag.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=3080&utm_source=Eluletter&utm_campaign=July+Newsletter&utm_medium=email
Ted Talks: Try Something New for 30 Days by Matt Cutts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnfBXjWm7hc
Landlord (Forgiveness) – Jewish Food for Thought (animated series) http://jewishfoodforthought.com/?page_id=20&utm_source=Eluletter&utm_campaign=July+Newsletter&utm_medium=email
Beautiful translation and Hebrew of Psalm 27 by Rabbi Yael Levy, traditionally recited daily during the month of Elul: http://mishkan.org/sites/default/files/Ps27_yael_levy_translation.pdf
(Thank you to the Institute for Jewish Spirituality for sharing the some of these resources. To learn more about IJS and to subscribe to their newsletter: http://jewishspirituality.org/?utm_source=Eluletter&utm_campaign=July+Newsletter&utm_medium=email