Poet and painter Cathleen Cohen shares powerful words for the month of Elul: “Hand to hand, we must build mirrors / from hope, imperfections, our own sharp edges, / then pierce through fear / and gaze. eye to eye. at each other.”
Part prayer, part ode, part prose poem, this piece by Rabbi Dayle Friedman describes Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, in the hopes that it will be “restored to be once again merely an entryway to beauty and knowledge.”
Bruce Black offers a prayer for healing from the traumas of Oct. 7 and war. It’s also a prayer for peace.
The Jewish month of Elul is traditionally a time for personal reflection and spiritual preparation for the New Year. Rabbi Tamara Cohen offers suggestions for how to use this time for personal growth and change.
There is always beauty and small miracles to appreciate, especially in summer. This poem reminds us to stop and appreciate, “the wonder of summer unfolding in all its glory.”
Rabbi Moshe Heyn’s sweet music video was originally recorded as part of a social media campaign encouraging people to eat together. “May we live each day with peace and wisdom.” Kein yehi. May it be so.
For times when life and events seem overwhelming, we can turn to the words of the prophet Isaiah —yes, many scholars believe Isaiah was more than one individual. This prayer empowers us “to confront the truth of hardship and begin the process of healing.”
Rabbi Patti Haskell’s prayer gives voice to the prayers of so many, regardless of political opinion, who are appalled by suffering and hunger. “Help us to find ways to move this food to where it is desperately needed.”
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College student LillyFish Gomberg’s prayer asks that the month of Av — associated with mourning and the destruction of the First and Second Temples — hold all our fear, anxiety and grief.
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