Elul 6 - Chutzpah - by Josh Wallach

I'm fortunate to be one of 20 Jewish lay leaders in St. Louis chosen as part of the first Wexner Heritage program cohort our city has seen in 28 years.  In the beginning of August, we, along with 2 others' cities participants attended a week long introductory retreat in Aspen CO where we studied under the guidance of some of the most respected Jewish educators in the world.  Our intense study will be ongoing for 2 years, culminating with graduation in Israel in 2017.  It is my honor to share with you a subject which will hopefully allow us to examine our role in the world in the year to come.

Chutzpah.  Perhaps we've said of someone, "Wow, he's got chutzpah!"  Or, "That took chutzpah!" What exactly is chutzpah?  Irrepressible strength.  Empowerment, responsibility for the world.  As Jews, we are taught to challenge, to ask the difficult questions that others may not ask (maybe not even our fellow Jews as only the wicked son asks such a question at the Passover Seder), to challenge God in the face of adversity (matters of nature are exempt as these are circumstances beyond our control).  Biblically, we see this when Abraham stands up for his fellow Israelites in Genesis 18 and challenges God's plan to wipe out the city of Sodom.   Abraham, now in a covenantal relationship with God, does exactly what God has asked of him, to challenge God as he plans to wipe out the innocent along with the guilty.  Abraham acted as a blessing, knowing his role was to bring justice to the world around him, to fight, to demand justice: "Will you sweep away the innocent along with the guilty?...far be it from you!  Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?"  As Jews, we are commanded to fight for matters of social justice, to challenge the wrong in the world, and while it may tire us out, we are acting as God has commanded.

With the days of Elul upon us, we have the opportunity to examine if we have acted justly, with dignity, in the way that God has commanded us to be a blessing to our fellow man.  To be Jewish we must consider that we are measured not by our material things, but by our ability to take action, to be a blessing to those who cannot fight for themselves, to ask those difficult questions and fight for justice in the world.  Being Jewish is not easy, it can be tiring, it takes chutzpah.

Shanah Tova, a happy and sweet new year, wishing all of us a year of peace and happiness, and a year of fighting for what needs to be righted in the world, a year full of chutzpah!

Respectfully,

Josh Wallach

What did you think of this post? Give us your thoughts below. 

Received this post by email? Comment online at 

Return: A Blog for Elul http://blog-for-elul.blogspot.com/

Elul 5 - Hitlamdut - by Val Toskin

“Man learns through experience, and the spiritual path is full of different kinds of experiences.  He will encounter many difficulties and obstacles, and they are the very experiences he needs to encourage and complete the cleansing process.”  --Sai Baba

Elul is my favorite month of the Jewish calendar.  Not because it gives me time to apologize to those I hurt but because Judaism gives me daily opportunities to do Teshuva, to return to a better me, to refocus on the essential, and to start anew.  I wake up to “Modah Ani”, and thank Adonai for another chance almost daily.  Elul is another opportunity to readjust myself.  

Elul is my month of Hitlamdut: the month I reflect on the experiences of the year, how they affected me, and what I learned from them.  It is the month I assess where I spend my time and decide if it is in the right place.  Based on those reflections, during Elul, I open my heart to change and transformation.

I try to keep the “gems” from the past year close to heart.  I prepare my list of all those things I may need to let go off, and I write my hopes for the year to come.

So, here are some of my “gems”:

• I have the best supportive husband and children who did not hesitate to embark on the new adventure of fostering two new siblings. They held my hand when it was time to say goodbye, they encouraged my new career adventure, and challenged me when I was wrong. 
• Mindfulness practices became part of my life.  I often take breathing breaks, set intentions for my meetings, and try to stay in the moment when I pray, sing, recite a blessing, pet our dogs, or talk to friends, kids, and family members.
• I still love teaching.  
• I can still afford a good cup of coffee.

In the weeks to come, this list will become longer.

Elul is my month of Hitlamdut.  What does it mean to you?

Val Toskin

What did you think of this post? Give us your thoughts below. 

Received this post by email? Comment online at 

Return: A Blog for Elul http://blog-for-elul.blogspot.com/

Elul 4 - by Rabbi Goldstein

In Aramaic, the word elul means searching.  Here in the month of Elul we begin to search our souls and make an accounting of all the ways we have fallen short this past year.  We do not do this because Judaism wants us to feel badly about ourselves – but just the opposite.  Judaism gives us this time to reflect in order to better ourselves – to make the effort to become more loving, more generous, more just.  Often we do not take full advantage of the gift that Judaism offers us in this month of Elul because we are comfortable enough with our lives as they are.  Or perhaps the process of looking at our lives and souls in such an honest and “stripped of all pretenses” way moves us from a place of relative comfort to a place of great discomfort … and who among us wants to be uncomfortable if we don’t have to.

But here we are in Elul … and it is time for each of us to start feeling a little uncomfortable. Uncomfortable at how quickly we judge others without fully knowing them, or judge a situation without knowing all the facts.  Uncomfortable with how easily our attention gets diverted from those who need us most.  Uncomfortable with the way we deflect responsibility for the ills of the world by blaming them on politicians, or the rich, or the poor … or anyone but ourselves. Uncomfortable with the compromises we have made. Uncomfortable with the silences we keep in the face of increasing violence, injustice and despair.

In order to begin this move from comfort to discomfort, Judaism invites us to use these days of Elul to rededicate ourselves to a spiritual practice.  For some of us this might mean daily prayer or meditation.  For others, this might mean journaling or spending time outdoors in nature's beauty.  A traditional practice involves reading Psalm 27, a prayer beseeching God not to abandon us, no matter how far from God's presence we may feel.

There are a number of translations and interpretations of Psalm 27, but Rabbi Brant Rosen's interpretation speaks to the longings of my heart, and helps me to open my heart more fully each day.

Rabbi Andrea Goldstein

What did you think of this post? Give us your thoughts below. 

Received this post by email? Comment online at 

Return: A Blog for Elul http://blog-for-elul.blogspot.com/

Elul 3 - by Sue Matlof

I will never have an opportunity to replay my life as did Jeff Winston in Ken Grimewood’s book, Replay; but as the High Holidays approach I can reflect back on what I accomplished this past year and what my goals and aspirations are for the coming year of 5776. I have an opportunity to get back on track.

I was a part of the Tikkun Middot project which focused on learning about myself with regard to 10 soul traits; Humility, Honor, and Patience, ~ just to name a few.  Once a month I studied with our group and I have a Chevruta (study partner) that I checked in during the month.  I would find one small behavior change that I wanted to make and work on it for the entire month. Making these small changes is not an overwhelming endeavor. I noticed that I needed to find my balance within each Middot.  With mindfulness and awareness being very much integrated into the program, I was able to learn techniques to reduce stress and bring a sense of calm into situations that otherwise would have been laced with anxiety.

Striving for balance of the soul in my life won’t be easy.  I will get thrown in the wrong direction; I may find myself on top of the highest mountain or at the bottom of the deepest valley. But I can always return to center to regain my balance. The small adjustments to what I am doing allow me to determine what works best for me. Over time I will be creating a new set of positive life habits and be leading a happier existence. 

I can’t think of a better way to lead my life than to be in balance.

A Zen way to view whether your life is in balance is

you enjoy each moment and every second,

you cope with any difficulties,

you can be happy without any reason to be happy,

you can be yourself and love the person you are.

This is my prayer for 5776 and the years to come.

Sue Matlof

What did you think of this post? Give us your thoughts below. 

Received this post by email? Comment online at 

Return: A Blog for Elul http://blog-for-elul.blogspot.com/

Elul 2 - Justice, Mercy and Humility - by Rabbi Jim Bennett

This past week, I have been asked repeatedly, in one form or another, “What do you think about a rabbi wearing a tallis getting arrested in downtown St. Louis? I’m sure glad it wasn’t you.” 

When I became a Bar Mitzvah many years ago, my assigned Haftarah portion came from chapter 6 of the book of Micah. I have never forgotten the famous words that the prophet Micah thundered out. I thought he was speaking to me: “It has been told you, oh man, what is good, and what God demands of you:  only that you do Justice, love Mercy, and walk Humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

As a thirteen year old, I understood the demands of justice to be about simple fairness. Mercy was about kindness, and humility about God was about faith. Years later, as this month of Elul begins, my understanding has deepened.

Justice, I now understand, is about standing up for what is right, taking great risks to correct wrongs, and not succumbing to apathy or despair.

Demanding justice is our God-given responsibility. We are commanded to fight the temptation to fool ourselves into thinking that everything is just fine. We may not remain indifferent. Even more, we must refuse to condemn others whose tolerance for injustice is less buried than our own. 

The racial injustice in our society persists and grows each day and demands our response. When Rabbi Susan Talve and many others marched in protest downtown last week, I believe they wanted to get arrested in order to get our collective attention. They wanted us to wake up from our stupor, climb out from behind our walls of denial, and join them in the fight for justice. I am grateful for what they did.   

The question should not be about them. It is about us. Will we respond to Micah’s call? Will we demand that justice be done? Will we act with mercy? Will we be filled with humility?

It is Elul. There is no time like the present.

Rabbi Jim Bennett

What did you think of this post? Give us your thoughts below. 
Received this post by email? Comment online at Return: A Blog for Elul

Elul 1 - Welcome

Steve Jobs famously once wrote: “For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

Our Jewish tradition encourages us to do the same each day, and particularly gives us the gift each year of a month during which we are invited to gaze into the mirror of our lives each day and begin to make change. This month is the Hebrew month of Elul, and it begins today.

Once again this year, we offer you, through our “Blog for Elul,” the chance to reflect during Elul with words of inspiration, meditation, thoughtful insights and other reflections from the mirror held up by our rabbis and cantor, Temple staff and members of the congregation. It is our hope that these reflections will inspire each person who reads them to spend some time each day in personal thought and introspection. Even more, we hope that those who read these daily blog posts will be inspired to share your thoughts with our community as well.

We invite you to read, reflect, respond and participate in a congregational dialogue during Elul, about what this month of preparation for the High Holidays means to you, about your faith, your doubt, your struggles, and your journey.

So, to begin, I want to ask all of us to consider:

What would we like to change?  What stands in the way of this change? 

Think about it. Share your thoughts. Welcome to the month of Elul.

Rabbi Jim Bennett

What did you think of this post? Give us your thoughts below. Received this post by email? Comment online at Return: A Blog for Elul, .