Preparing for Elul and New Beginnings - 8/21/25

This Sunday, we begin the Hebrew month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish year 5785, and the month in which we prepare for Rosh Hashanah of 5786. Our community has many new beginnings this year—including welcoming a new rabbi after Rabbi Feingold’s remarkable tenure. Perhaps this makes our Elul preparation all the more important.

What does it mean to prepare ourselves for a new year? One way is to make time for reflection—on our personal goals, and on how this past year has brought us closer to or farther from them. I would like to share a few of my goals for our community in the year ahead.

Together, I hope we will develop community-building experiences that support our congregational priorities, such as cultivating multigenerational relationships. The recent meet-and-greet gatherings gave us a chance to brainstorm some wonderful opportunities, and it is clear that we have a rich history to build upon.

One offering already on our calendar is our monthly Family Service, held on the third Shabbat of each month, with prayers led by our Bet Sefer students. I am also eager to launch potluck Shabbat dinners that integrate Jewish prayer and song throughout the meal, rather than holding a separate service afterward.

In the short term, we are beginning something simple yet meaningful: this Shabbat we’ll have a “sunbutter and jelly sandwich bar,” available Fridays at 6:15 p.m. This is meant for anyone rushing in from work or kids’ activities who might appreciate starting with a bite to eat to help focus during the service. It’s one more way to make Shabbat service timing accessible.

As we prepare for the High Holidays, I want to share a few Elul resources you might find helpful. For online learning, I recommend Hadar (https://www.projectzug.org/courses) and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (https://www.jewishspirituality.org/). For those who love music, here are two Spotify playlists that can help set the mood for Elul and the High Holidays:

●     Playlist One

●     Playlist Two

I’d love to hear what moves you as you listen.

Elul invites us to prepare—through learning, prayer, music, reflection, and community. I am excited to experience these new beginnings with you, and to walk together into the new year.

-Rabbi Hannah Wallick