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We are now in the month of Elul. What’s special about this last month of the Jewish spiritual year? According to Judaism Unbound “It is a time of introspection. Time to stop and take a look back at the past year to see how we did.  Where did we grow and how do we want to continue to build on that growth? Elul is a time of asking for forgiveness from others in ways we caused harm and offering forgiveness to people who have harmed us.”

Elul is the prelude to the main attraction and helps us get settled and in the mood as does the opening act or musical prelude to a show. There are a few traditional practices that some Jews take on during Elul. These include listening to the sound of the shofar daily, reading Psalm 27, and reflecting on our behavior over the previous year.

As we make our way through the Jewish month of Elul, the month of contemplation, you may want to be guided by spiritual experts or supplement your own thoughts with some writings on the theme. Check the display shelf in the library for these recommended books:

Author          Book Title

Weintraub -     Healing of soul, Healing of Body: Spiritual Leaders Unfold the Strength & Solace in Psalms
Agnon -          Days of Awe: Being a Teasury of Traditions, Legends and Learned Commentaries Concerning Ros Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Days Between
Brown -           Return: Daily Inspiration for the Days of Awe
Greenberg -     The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays
Hammer -        Entering the High: aA Guide to the History, Prayers and Theme
Hurwitz -         Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality and a Deeper Connection to Life in Judasim
Lew -              This is Real and You are Completely Unprepared: the Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation
Myers -           The Choosing: A Rabbi’s Journey from Silent Nights to High Holy Days
Robbins -        Opening Your Heart with Psalm 27: A Spirtual Practice for the Jewish New Year
*Haig -            The Midnight Library
*Rossetti -       Sacred Housekeeping (not yet published)
*Ruttenberg -  On Repentance
*Sacks -          To Heal a Fractured World

Books marked with a * should be available in your public library or are on backorder at the Jacobs Library. For virtual resources go to Judaism Unbound.