HIGH HOLY DAYS

The Month of Elul

The month of Elul: Prepare to Repair

We are guaranteed, in Dallas Texas, that the temperature on August 31 will hover near 100 degrees. It will still be summer outside, but inside at Temple Emanu-El and in the heads and hearts of Jews around the world, the season will begin to turn as we begin the Hebrew month of Elul. Elul is the month that immediately proceeds the Hebrew month of Tishri, the start of the Jewish year, the month that is home to Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah. With so much to celebrate it only makes sense that we begin our preparations a full month in advance, that we begin to turn toward the themes and messages, the prayers and the music, the reflection and the action that demand our attention, in order to fully appreciate the sweet blessings of the New Year, the power of change on Yom Kippur, our responsibility to care for God’s creation on Sukkot, the continual gift of Torah on Simchat Torah. We don’t feel the season turn outside, but inside, throughout the week, and especially on Shabbat, we feel the temperature drop as the tone of our days turns and our spiritual and intellectual preparations begin. This year, take advantage of the season and come inside where it is cool for Elul.

CLICK HERE to listen to Cantor Cohn singing Achat Shaaliti

• Consider the themes of the season in the sermons and D’var Torah at each service. On Friday nights we will talk together about:

Awakening to the Pursuit of Teshuvah, Renewal (September 2)

Connecting to the Strength of a Kehillah, our Community (September 9)

Celebrating the Oneg, the Joy of the Season (September 16)

Cultivating Balance: Personal Prayer, Communal Worship (September 23-25)

•Hear the inspirational passages from Isaiah that remind us of our potential to grow and change in the Haftarah portions read on Shabbat morning.

•Reflect on the message of Psalm 27 reminding us that we are never alone, that God is with us as we make our way through this sacred season. Use your voice to sing the words as our service begins on Friday nights or use your heart and mind to reflect on the words that are available on our website

•Utilize poetry and prose passages in the Weekly Update and Shabbat Shalom handout for daily reflection during the month.

•Begin to sing the music that hints at the intimacy and majesty of the High Holy Days at all of our Shabbat services and even on-hold when you call.

•Attune your ear to the call of the Shofar as we rouse ourselves to the work of teshuvah, renewal and repentance. We will sound the Shofar throughout the week, Monday-Friday at noon. Join us in the building or call the Kesher line to listen from home or the office. Our week will conclude with blowing the Shofar at 6:15 on Fridays as we prepare to welcome Shabbat.

•Immerse in the richness of our tradition’s approach to prayer and its power for us in private moments of reflection and public times of affirmation, with The Dolores and Walter Neustadt Lecture Series Scholar in Residence, Rabbi Nancy Flam, for Selichot weekend September 23-25: Cultivating Balance: Personal Prayer, Communal Worship