Looking forward to Elul, Shabbat Re’eh, and more

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We’re still in the Seven Weeks of Consolation between Tisha b’Av and Rosh Hashanah… and the holidays are coming up faster than we might think.

Sunday August 8 is Rosh Hodesh Elul, the new moon that brings us into the month of Elul, the month that leads us directly into the Days of Awe. It’s also, believe it or not, a kind of new year’s! Mishna teaches that there are actually four different “new years-es” in Jewish tradition. There’s the one all of us know — Rosh Hodesh Tishrei a.k.a. Rosh Hashanah, the Head of the Year, the new year for years. And there are three others, too. In deep midwinter, Tu BiShvat is the New Year of the Trees. In spring, Rosh Hodesh Nisan is the new year for kings and rulers. And this coming Rosh Hodesh / new moon is known as the New Year of the Animals.

R. Dara Heidi’s prayer for Rosh Hodesh Elul.

Here’s a new collection of poetry, liturgy, and artwork for the New Year of the Animals — co-created by the poets, artists, and rabbis at Bayit (and edited by our own Rabbi Rachel, who also contributed a piece.) Connecting with our animal beloveds, with wild animals, and even with our own animal nature can be powerful fuel for the teshuvah journey ahead. We hope these offerings are meaningful to you!

Shabbat Services This Week

Join us at 9:30am on Shabbat morning for Shabbat services led by Rabbi Rachel. (Check your email on Friday morning to find out whether our service will be hybrid / multi-access, or Zoom only.)

Torah Portion and Commentaries

This week we’re reading from parashat Re’eh. If you’d like to read some commentaries on this week’s parsha, here are a few:

And here’s commentary from the URJ:

We hope to see you soon at CBI!

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