Ep 49: Elul, the Shofar, and Awakeness

Send us a message via text message! Link accessible at joyousjustice.buzzsprout.com. ✅In this week’s episode, we reflect on the meaning of Elul, the month in the Jewish calendar that leads up to Rosh HaShanah and the high holidays. This time of anticipation calls us to prepare ourselves spiritually for the new year. We talk about the symbolic meanings of the holiday and how the ritual of hearing the shofar can be a powerful call to being “awake.” Check out our discussion/reflection questions for this episode: www.joyousjustice.com/blog/jews-talk-racial-justice-episode-49Find April and Tracie's full bios and submit topic suggestions for the show at www.JewsTalkRacialJustice.comLearn more about Joyous Justice where April is the founding and fabulous (!) director, and Tracie is a senior partner.: https://joyousjustice.com/Read more of Tracie's thoughts at her blog, bmoreincremental.comLearn more about the month of Elul here: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/what-is-elul/Read more about the Senegalese holiday, Grand Magal of Touba here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Magal_of_ToubaLearn about the Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute here: https://www.kohenet.com/Read the Song of Songs here: https://www.sefaria.org/Song_of_SongsBetter understand Shekhinah, the Divine Feminine in Judaism, here: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-divine-feminine-in-kabbalah-an-example-of-jewish-renewal/Support the showDiscussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What, if anything feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?If relevant. what feelings and sensations are arising as you reflect on themes from this episode, and where in your body do you feel them?What key insights or strategies are you carrying forward and how do you want to weave them into your living and/or leadership?