On Tuesday morning, an “annual tradition” arrived in my email inbox, the first of a (Hebrew) month’s worth of daily contemplations in anticipation of the Jewish High Holidays that start a month from now (on Wednesday evening, October 2nd, to be specific).

The High Holidays involve some pretty heavy lifting, as we jump from our regular lives into 10 days of community prayer and contemplation, repair and return. Our ancient rabbis tried to ease us into this journey, with a special service (S’lichot) the preceding Saturday evening that introduces the High Holiday themes. And they tweaked our morning prayers for the full Hebrew month (Elul) before.

In a beautiful modern take, I now get a month of daily emails in my inbox that gently bring me to the High Holidays, thanks to the passion project of Craig Taubman, an extraordinary Reform composer. Every year, he organizes the “Jewels of Elul,” bringing in outside voices (Jewish and non-Jewish) to write mini-essays that speak to a specific theme. Now into its 22nd year, I was introduced to these Jewels by our cantor and my friend Len Udow maybe 15 years ago, and they have become part of my personal annual lead-up to the High Holidays ever since.

This year’s theme comes from our beloved scholar of 2,000 years past, Hillel, and is most appropriate for these troubling times – “If not now, when?” If you happen to be interested, you can find them here: https://www.jewelsofelul.com/receive-a-jewel-a-day/

Wishing you all a Shabbat shalom, a day of peace, respite, and renewal.

Rabbi Allan