Elul
Elul, the month before Rosh Hashanah, is traditionally a time of introspection and taking stock of where we have missed the mark. Known in Hebrew as cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of the soul, our tradition invites us to return from these reflections with an open heart so that we may begin the year as our best, most essential self – a more connected friend, a generous partner, a kinder neighbor, an engaged member of our sacred community. In this way, we can truly transform our world from the inside out.
Join us for special programs as we prepare for the High Holy Days: the next Go Deeper module called Teshuvah: Coming Home, built around Rabbi Alan Lew’s This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared; and our Receiving Selichot Soundbath. More activities and details to come.
Teshuvah: Coming Home
Five consecutive Sundays, August 9, 16, 23, 30, Sept 6, PLUS Tues, Sept 15
6:30 - 8:15 PM
Special Gathering: Sunday, Sept 27, from 4-7pm with a potluck dinner to follow in the Sukkah – This will be the final class
Zoom Schmooze Sessions (optional): Tuesdays August 11, 25 and September 1, PLUS Wednesday, August 19, from 6:30-7:30pm
Rabbi Diane Elliott
Teshuvah: Coming Home is the culminating module of this year’s Go Deeper Cohort Journey, inviting participants into the transformative spiritual practice of turning and returning. Guided by core faculty Rabbi Diane Elliot, with guest teachings from our community’s rabbis, Rabbi Zvika Krieger and Rabbi Rishe Groner, this immersive exploration will engage the timeless question at the heart of Teshuvah: What does it mean to come home to ourselves, to one another, and to the Divine? Drawing on Rabbi Alan Lew’s beloved work This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared, participants will journey through the cycles of return woven throughout the Jewish year, deepening their capacity for self-reflection, renewal, and spiritual awakening as they prepare for the High Holy Days.
Registration »
Receiving Selichot
Tuesday, September 1 • 7:30 - 9:30 pm
Lior Tsarfaty and Julie Batz
Nourish yourself and prepare your heart for the High Holy Days during this unique event with high holidays music from Lior Tsarfaty and Julie Batz.
This soulful reimagining of the traditional “selichot” (songs of forgiveness) ritual is not a service nor a performance, this is an opportunity to simply receive. Attendees will be invited to lie down, close their eyes, and listen to the music during this immersive experience.
We are excited to be offering this event with Julie Batz, Spiritual Leader Emeritus of Chochmat HaLev!
More info & registration »
Elul Contemplative Practice Group
Thursdays • 7:15 – 8:30 pm • August 13, 27, September 10
Join lay leader Zvi Bellin for an exploration of selected passages from This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared by Rabbi Alan Lew. Together, we’ll engage with this beloved Elul text through reflection, discussion, and contemplative practice.
What to expect:
Augest 13 – Orientation on the primary themes of the book
Aug 27 & Sept 10 – Deep Dive into specific chapters: TBD
No registration necessary; drop-ins welcome!
Elul Wednesday Morning Meditation of Presence
Wednesdays • 8:15 – 9 am • August 19, 26, September 2, 9
The month of Elul provides the opportunity to prepare our hearts for the coming year in an intentional way. The tradition is rich in teshuvah (return) teachings — teachings that challenge and guide us in returning to our best and truest selves.
More info & registration »
