High Holy Day Preparation: An Invitation

By Rabbi Kate Speizer, Director of Adult Engagement & Endless Opportunities

We are encouraged to prepare individually before joining one another for communal prayer on Rosh Hashanah as we officially begin the High Holy Days. Let’s explore what these preparations could look like.

Jewish tradition teaches that the month of Elul – the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah – is a time for cheshbon ha’nefesh, checking in on our souls. We are invited to take responsibility for where we could have done better, to own the mistakes we’ve made, and do some spiritual “accounting.”

One might do this by setting aside a few minutes each day, or by planning an afternoon of reflection, to respond to big questions like…

• What am I proud of from this past year?

• What do I regret?

• From whom must I ask forgiveness?

• Whom must I forgive?

• What can I release from the past year?

• What do I want to embrace in the year to come?

Additional Elul rituals include:

• Blowing the shofar every morning (except on Shabbat) from Rosh Chodesh Elul, the first day of the month, until the day before Rosh Hashanah to “wake us up” to the approaching new year.

• Reciting Psalm 27 every day from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Hoshanah Rabbah on Sukkot (in the month of Tishrei). Chava Mirel has a beautiful setting for this you can find on our website.

• Reciting selichot (special penitential prayers) close to midnight either at the start of the week according to the Ashkenazi custom, or every morning of Elul according to Sephardi tradition.

• Visiting the graves of loved ones throughout the month to remember and honor those people in our past who inspire us to live more fully in the future. We are invited to do this as a community at the Kever Avot service on September 17th. (Learn more about Kever Avot on page 21.)

Elul Extravaganza

As we use Elul for our individual preparations, we are also invited to join as a Temple De Hirsch Sinai community on Friday, August 25th at the Seattle Campus for an Elul Extravaganza, which will be part of an expanded Kabbalat Shabbat celebration. Festivities begin at 5 PM with Shabbat Jr. (for Families with Young Children), followed by a heavy nosh for all ages at 5:30 PM.

At 6 PM, we can dive into one of many possibilities for High Holy Day preparation at a workshop. Options will include Family Friendly Arts & Crafts, Movies & Midrash for Teshuvah, Culinary Arts for the Season, Musical Meditation, and more. Shabbat services will begin at 7 PM and will be followed by an event for The Tribe, Temple’s 20s and 30s group.

L’Shanah tova u’metuka –may it be a sweet & good year!