Responsibility Taking responsibility begins when we can say: This part was mine. I recognize what I did. I want to do differently. There is dignity in that admission. Judaism does not ask us to remain trapped by our mistakes. Teshuvah assumes something much more hopeful: we can recognize what we have done - and choose differently when the opportunity comes again.

Words: Speakiing With Care Judaism takes words seriously. Creation itself begins with speech: "And God said..." Words bring something into the world that was not there before. Our words do the same on a human scale. A kind word can encourage someone for years. A careless word can wound, sometimes long after the speaker has forgotten. We can use words to comfort, teach, apologize, defend someone, express gratitude, and tell the truth. We can also use them to gossip, diminish,

Musical Shabbat: September 18, 2026 at 7PM Come celebrate Shabbat with us through music! Cantor Star Wahnon leads an unforgettable and joyful evening. All are welcome. Bring your voice, your energy, and your love of music. A dessert oneg to follow.

Reflections: On The Road To Yom Kippur This is a time for self-reflection, for teshuvah-returning-and for becoming the best version of yourself. Where we can, forgive. Where we have caused hurt, seek forgiveness. Consider not only what others might have done differently, but what we ourselves can do differently. And reflection should lead to action. When we are called on, we should be prepared to do great things.

Listen: Create Space for What Matters Listening is more than hearing words. It is making space in our hearts and minds for what is real — in ourselves, in others, in the world, and perhaps in the quiet presence of God. In a noisy world, listening can be difficult. We are often quick to speak, to explain, to fix. Yet some of the most important truths can only be heard when we become still enough to notice them. Today we pause to listen — to the people in our lives, to our own

A New Year has been given to us We speak of a new year as though a door has opened before us. Yet none of us knows what lies beyond it. There will be things we choose and things we cannot choose, opportunities we recognize and others we miss,moments of joy and moments we would never have asked for. The question is not whether we can control the year ahead. We cannot. The question is what we will do with the portion of it that is ours to shape. We have reflected during Elul o

The world was not created finished. Neither are we. A new year does not erase the year that came before it. We bring our memories, our choices, our accomplishments, our regrets, and the people we have become. Beginning again does not mean beginning from nothing. It means recognizing that what comes next has not yet been determined. Creation is not only a past event — it is an ongoing process. We are invited to be partners in it: in our families, our community, our work, and t

A Meditation for Tashlich A brief JCM reflection for the Days of Awe — a moment to pause at the water, consider the year that has passed, and prepare for the work of teshuvah: return, repair, and renewal.

Intention: Purpose, Direction, Becoming Life will not always follow our plans. There will be joys and challenges, the unexpected and the unknown. Kavanah is not about controlling what happens, but about choosing who we want to be — and how we will meet whatever comes. Our days are limited. That is not a reason for despair, but a call to live more intentionally. When we number our days, we can give our time to what truly matters — the people we love, the values we hold, the w