Elul is the month prior to Rosh Hashanah. Jewish tradition offers us many ways to prepare ourselves emotionally and spiritually for a New Year. I invite you to consider these 10 traditions and incorporate some that are meaningful to you into your High Holy Day preparations. If we all do at least one thing to prepare for the New Year, our prayers together will be all the more meaningful this fall.

1. Get your Jewish calendar and mark service times. Your free Jewish calendar for 5771 is waiting in our lobby!

Note the following dates & times for Holiday Services at Congregation Beth Israel
Selichot, Saturday, Sept. 4, 7:15pm at the Danans’ (see below)
Eve of Rosh Hashanah, Wed., Sept. 8, 7:30 pm
Rosh Hashanah, Day I, Thurs., Sept. 9, 10:00am (Children’s Service, 11am)
Tashlich & Potluck picnic, Thurs., Sept. 9, 6:00pm at One Mile, Bidwell Park
Rosh Hashanah, Day II, Friday, Sept. 10, 10:00am
Kol Nidrei, Friday, Sept. 17, 7:00pm
Yom Kippur, Saturday, Sept. 18, 10:0am (Children’s Service, 11am)
All services are at CBI unless otherwise indicated.

2. Blow the Shofar:The call of the shofar awakens our souls. If you have a shofar at home, it’s traditional to blow it each morning (except Shabbat). If you don’t have a shofar, you can experience a Virtual Shofar call here on YouTube.
It’s also a great time to practice if you would like to sound the Shofar at services. To join our “Team Tekiah” (shofar blowers), contact Steve Margolin, smargolin@digitalpath.net

3.  Selichot Services:“Selichot” means “forgiveness” and is the name given to special late night or early morning services prior to Rosh Hashanah. We will have a special Selichot experience on Saturday night, Sept. 4 at the Danan home.Come at 7:15 pm for a potluck Se’udah Shelisheet (Sabbath afternoon meal), followed by Havdalah. Bring a meatless dish to share and bring a photo or memento of a loved one you are remembering at this time of year for our “Memory Fest.” We will conclude with a short & sweet Selichot service to reintroduce us to the melodies and themes of Rosh Hashanah.

4. Psalm 27 It is traditional to read Psalm 27, a psalm of faith, each day from the beginning of Elul through the end of Sukkot. Copies of this Psalm are available in our lobby.

5. Heshbon Hanefesh means “an account of the soul.” Take some time during Elul to evaluate where you are going with your life, the qualities you want to improve in your character, and your “mitzvah” goals for the year ahead. Need Inspiration? You can subscribe to an uplifting message for each day from the website: Jewels of Elul, which is now also available of Facebook and Twitter!

6. Making Amends. Now is the time to let go of grudges, and also to ask forgiveness or make amends with anyone you may have hurt or just had a misunderstanding with this year. It happens to all of us. Rosh Hashanah can provide a great excuse to make up!

7. Remember Loved Ones who have passed on by visiting the cemetery this month. Rosh Hashanah is known as the “Day of Remembrance.” If you can’t visit in person, take some time for recollections. Decide on a mitzvah to do and tzedakah to give in their honor. We will also do this in the form of the “Memory Fest,” as part of our Selichot Service on Sept. 4. Remember to purchase yahrtzeit candles (available in our gift shop and some grocery stores) to light in honor of Yizkor, for Yom Kippur and Shemini Atzeret.

8. Tzedakah. It is a special time of year to give additional tzedakah, charitable donations to groups and organizations that you value and support. “Teshuvah (repentance), Tefilah (prayer) and Tzedakah (charity, righteousness),” are central themes of the Holy Days. CBI just sent out a mailing for the Annie B.’s campaign as well as for Yizkor (memorial donations), a lovely way to observe this mitzvah.

9. Greetings. It’s traditional to send out Rosh Hashanah cards at this time of year, and to include the greeting, “L’Shanah Tovah Tikavteyvu” (“May You be Inscribed for a Good Year”). It’s a wonderful way to reconnect with people and to get in the mood of Holidays. I love getting those cards; don’t you? Use the old ones to decorate your
sukkah.

10. Something New. It’s traditional to buy new clothing or special foods for Rosh Hashanah. Stock up on sweet natural foods like apples, honey (for cakes and dipping), dates, and pomegranates for a sweet New Yar. Round Hallahs can be ordered from some local bakeries, or you might want to bake your own. (Let us know if you can bake some for CBI as well.)
I wish you well in your preparations for the New Year.

L’Shanah Tovah Tikavteyvu,
May we all be inscribed for a good and sweet New Year!
Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan