August 17, August 24th, August 31st, 7:00-8:15pm at the JCC of Ann Arbor
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At-ONE-ment: a journey that ripples inward and outward
During the month of Elul, there are traditional religious practices to help prepare the soul for entering the intense period of the High Holy Days. Some communities say selichot (special penitential prayers) throughout the month and listen to the blast of the shofar each day. Many do an abbreviated selichot practice and just recite Ashrei, Psalm 27 and the 13 Attributes of Compassion.
During Elul there is also opportunity to focus on the process of cheshbon hanefesh, of taking stock of our lives, in order to deepen our capacity to do teshuvah, to align our hearts and actions with God and our essential goodness.
To facilitate the journey of cheshbon hanefesh, we will have 3 weekly workshops, beginning on Rosh Chodesh Elul. In the first session, we will explore our relationship to faith by creating a personal credo by reconstructing the 13 Principles of Faith of Maimonides. In the second session, we will tend the fire of LOVE by exploring middot (soul traits) and other tools and approaches to help us become more expansive and generous in the way we relate to ourselves and others. In the final session we will look at a Jewish bedtime practice designed to help us stretch, develop and strengthen our forgiveness muscles.
In alignment with tradition, we will conclude each session with blasts from the shofar to open us to new possibilities for the new year.
I look forward to learning together and from one another, heart-to-heart and soul-to-soul.
L’shalom,
Rav Gabrielle
Elul Music:
Elul Nigun by Eitan Katz: https://youtu.be/9S6-7RxVw0Y
Makom Bina by Devorah Sacks-Mintz: https://youtu.be/RorTgwYagt4
Achat Shaalti by Chava Mirel: https://youtu.be/olqBdmrwkhQ
