Elul To-Do List
An end of summer to do list:
1. Put away swimsuits and pool gear.
2. Buy school supplies.
3. Plumb the depths of the relationship between your immortal soul and God in hopes of rekindling the spiritual passion in that relationship*
4. Return “summer reading” books to library
*If number three sounds intimidating, don’t worry. You have an entire month to deal with it.
On September 4, we turn the page of our Jewish calendars to the new month of Elul, the month that immediately precedes Rosh Hashanah and the Ten Days of Repentance. Elul is a very special time. The process of teshuva, of returning to God through repentance, is so important that the rabbis wanted to make sure we are prepared. The entire month was designated for that preparation and is marked by the blowing of the shofar at services every morning to serve as a call to action.
The Calendar Assessment— A great step towards teshuva is taking last year’s calendar and reviewing everything that’s in it. Who’d you spend most of your time with? How often did you visit those you consider most important to you? How many entries are there for good acts you were involved in? Perhaps most importantly, is the way you spent your time reflective of what you think of as your priorities. If not, how can you change your time allocation in the coming year to better reflect your true self?
The Family Year-in-Review—Another way to get a better idea of how the past year went is to ask family members to join you in discussing the past year. By exploring the past year with your spouse, your children and/or your parents, you can get a fuller picture of how your actions affected those around you. You also may be reminded of incidents that were important to others, but which you have long forgotten. Lastly, this could be a good entry into the exploration of the health of your relationship with your family members, an essential part of the teshuva process.
The One Thing to Improve—Is there something you have always wished you were better at? Elul is the time to think of practical ways to improve. These are not New Year’s resolutions like exercise or learn to ride a unicycle. During Elul we should think about the things that impact others and the world—being more patient with our children or parents, treating God’s Creation with more respect, respecting ourselves, etc.
Perhaps the best thing about Elul and the teshuva process is that if we engage in even one or two of the activities on the Elul To-Do List we will not only have a more meaningful High Holiday season; we will have a more meaningful, healthier and more priority-driven life.
Lifelong Learning
We offer stand alone adult education classes as well as short series and yearlong sessions. Our adult education sessions are open to anyone who wishes to attend. Some include a fee for materials, teachers, etc.
Rosh Chodesh Elul - A Women's Circle
September 3rd at 7:00 pm - See Newsletter for Zoom Link
60 Days - A Spiritual Guide Partner Study
Find your own partner or be paired up (use this form to sign-up) and purchase the text:
60 Days: A Spiritual Guide to High Holidays
Once you're paired up, you decide when to meet and go through the text together.
This is the first chance at Hevruta for 5785!
Taste of Melton Class: Start Your Day the Jewish Way
Taught by Susanna Grant
Start Your Day the Jewish Way introduces adult learners to the world of text-based, interactive, pluralistic and relevant Melton learning. This lesson explores the notion of a Jewish way to start one’s day. Through the lens of Jewish tradition, both classic and modern texts reveal an enlightening and insightful look at the great importance associated with “waking up on the right side of the bed.”
Cost: $18
Three different opportunities (choose only one):
Saturday, September 14th from 10 am - 12 pm
Wednesday, September 18th from 7 pm - 9 pm
Sunday, September 22nd from 1 pm - 3 pm
Register by clicking on your preferred date.
Painting One's Mandala with Carolyn Zutler
Sunday, September 29, 2024 • 26 Elul 5784
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Social Hall - $18 (supplies provided - you keep your painting)
Register HERE
Mandala is Sanskrit for “Circle,” and as a symbol, it contains seemingly “opposite” archetypal energies that can be integrated via a Circular whole through art, including our past, present, and future selves, the light and shadow. Participants will have the chance to show their Mandalas and – if they wish—to share about each’s experience and hear how their painting resonates with others.