Jewels of Elul: Creative Acts of Teshuvah
4 weeks: August 23 – September 13, 4:00 pm
With Sharoni Sibony
“Teshuvah is a kind of creativity. As a creative act, it is not a simple return. Teshuvah is a return forward, a return to something that never was, a return to a new creation. We return to who we have always been, and are meant to be, but have not yet become. We return to growth and possibility that have lain dormant within us and not yet flourished, much as a sculpture lies hidden within a brute block of stone. That is the sense in which teshuvah is a creative act.” — Rabbi Jan S. Uhrbach
This Elul, we’ll be doing a weekly deep-dive into the creative, hopeful possibilities of our own teshuvah as we prepare for the High Holy Days. Using the Jewish Studio Process, we’ll do a combination of Beit Midrash – the study of texts from Jewish tradition and the contemporary world – and side-by-side art- or mark-making. Everyone will have a chance to draw, paint, or collage – using whatever medium delights you each week, followed by a chance for quiet self-reflection and optional group sharing. Join us for the whole series, or come as your schedule permits. Please note: we will meet IN PERSON in the Temple and all source sheets and art materials will be provided.
Sharoni Sibony is Holy Blossom Temple’s Adult Education Coordinator and a Jewish Studio Project Facilitator.
