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Month of Elul

A person in a hat stands under a bare tree in a grassy field, with a foggy backdrop.

Each year as summer fades into fall, Jewish tradition invites us to turn inward. The month of Elul precedes the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We dedicate this time to preparing ourselves for the holidays so that we can experience them as fully as possible. During Elul we are asked to look into ourselves. We think about who we are and who we want to be. Whose forgiveness do we need in order for us to enter a new year with a clean slate? Judaism offers help for this period of introspection in several ways: The shofar sounds daily, awakening us from complacency; later in the month, prayers of repentance—selikhot—are added to the daily liturgy. Perhaps most important, during Elul, we can support each other through the process of requesting and offering forgiveness with full and open hearts. 

Latest Rituals

Traditions for the month of Elul and suggestions on how to use this period for personal and communal transformation

a person with a clear umbrella crosses a wooden bridge in the middle of the woods in autumn

A traditional pre-High Holiday ritual of making candles for one’s beloveds

dozens of lanterns illuminate a dark background

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