It’s Friday again! The theme is Awaken – so appropriate, when the newness of getting up for school has worn off, yet we still need to get up on time. Awakening can be a challenge.

At minyan each weekday morning during the month of Elul, we blow the shofar at the end of the service, to remind us of the coming holidays, and to put us in the appropriate frame of mine. My son has had the privilege of providing some of those blasts, and he certainly wakes us up.

Since ancient times, the shofar has been a wake-up call – in times of war or other danger, or as a reminder to do our own cheshbon nefesh, calculus of the soul. What do we need to pay attention to as we approach the High Holy Days?

As the kids say these days, stay woke. It’s important.

Shabbat Shalom to all!