15-16 Elul, 5780

 On Fridays, we give you a double portion of our Elul Thoughts so that we can all take a rest from our electronics on Shabbat. Enjoy!

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker

Did you ever hear the one about the person who found just the right balance between work and family and friends and volunteering and they were never stressed about anything? Yeah… neither have I.

During this time of reflection, it’s important to think about the decisions we make that impact other people. It is just as important to think about how our decisions impact our ability to care for ourselves – especially when we are living through a stress inducing pandemic.

Proverbs (12:25) teaches, “if there is anxiety in a person’s heart, they should yashḥena – which literally means, “suppress it.” Many people try – suppress and move on. But the Talmud (Yoma 75a) offers a different explanation. Instead of the word yashḥena, the same letters with different vowels can be pronounced yesiḥena, which means “to talk it out.” The idea is that if you’re stressed or anxious or annoyed or not satisfied or tearing your hair out – you should talk it out. 

Having a safe place to talk about our problems or frustrations is an important way to take care of ourselves. Often, sharing with family or friends is just what we need. And many times, it could be a little more serious or we need something a little more private, which is what therapy is for. In that situation, it’s possible that you might need to try a few therapists before you find the right one for you. Know this and know that self-care and your mental health is worth it.

Rabbi Eric Linder

I love the movie, Indian Summer. (As an aside, if you spent any amount of time at a summer camp growing up, you must watch this movie!) There’s a beautiful scene in the movie where Lou, the camp director, is telling some camp alumni about the camp and its future. He is thinking of selling the camp. At one point he says, “The camp is nothing but a bunch of old buildings.”

Our recent pandemic continues to remind me that the amazing power of our communities is not in our synagogues (“old buildings”), but in our communities. As I’ve told my congregation throughout these difficult months, our synagogue may be closed, but our community is wide open. 

I’m sure that we all are longing for the days when we can re-enter our houses of worship. But it may be helpful to know that this pandemic should not weaken our connection to each other, to God, or to our communities. In fact, it’s possible that some connections have been strengthened! 

As we approach these High Holidays and engage in this sacred time of introspection during Elul, let us remember that like the Gates of Repentance, our connections to our communities are wide open.