Stronger Together: Elul 8

September 1, 2025

Teshuvah is never only about the self. The High Holiday liturgy is written almost entirely in the plural:

Ashamnu, bagadnu… We have trespassed, we have betrayed (Mahzor)

The High Holiday season insists that the “we” matters as much as the “I.” We are fundamentally in this process together.

Where do you need to strengthen a connection: with family, friends, or your community? Choose one place where a change could ripple outward.

Kavanah: Strengthen one relationship today. Let your return weave you back into the whole.

Explore the full Elul intentions here.

Authors

Exploring Judaism

Exploring Judaism is the digital home for Conservative/Masorti Judaism, embracing the beauty and complexity of Judaism, and our personal search for meaning, learning, and connecting. Our goal is to create content based on three core framing: Meaning-Making (Why?), Practical Living (How?), and Explainers (What?).
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Rabbi Jeremy Markiz

Rabbi Jeremy Markiz is a teacher and consultant. Based in the Washington, DC area, he teaches the TorahRefers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, also called the Five Books of Moses, Pentateuch or the Hebrew equivalent, Humash. This is also called the Written Torah. The term may also refer to teachings that expound on Jewish tradition. Read more of personal growth, meaning and intentionality, and making the world a better place. He writes a newsletter called, With Torah and Love. Rabbi Markiz helps clergy, congregations, and Jewish organizations grow and communicate clearly in the digital world, develop effective strategies, and solve problems with his consulting firm, Next Level Rabbinics.
View all posts

Exploring Judaism

Exploring Judaism is the digital home for Conservative/Masorti Judaism, embracing the beauty and complexity of Judaism, and our personal search for meaning, learning, and connecting. Our goal is to create content based on three core framing: Meaning-Making (Why?), Practical Living (How?), and Explainers (What?).
Rabbi Jeremy Markiz

Rabbi Jeremy Markiz is a teacher and consultant. Based in the Washington, DC area, he teaches the Torah of personal growth, meaning and intentionality, and making the world a better place. He writes a newsletter called, With Torah and Love. Rabbi Markiz helps clergy, congregations, and Jewish organizations grow and communicate clearly in the digital world, develop effective strategies, and solve problems with his consulting firm, Next Level Rabbinics.

Post categories: Elul, Elul Intentions, Holidays

Post tags: Community, Connections, Elul 5786, High Holidays, Liturgy, Machzor, teshuva, Teshuvah