Today was the first day of the month of Elul, the last month on the Jewish calendar before the New Year begins with Tishrei. In the northern hemisphere, the month often occurs as it does this year, during the time of the new school year, the approach of fall, the beginning of new projects – – a time when new things dawn. On the Jewish calendar, we enter a month of intense reflection and preparation for Rosh Hashanah (the New Year).

It may seem odd to have a time of beginnings in general western culture be a time of endings in Jewish culture, yet we know that the endings bring us back around again in a month to a new beginning, the start of a new year, 5772.