Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the High Holidays that even the most secular Jews often find important enough to observe. Both are associated with reflection, repentance and, by the start of the new year, renewal.

But this spiritual work actually begins about four weeks earlier. On the Hebrew calendar, the month of Elul is the last one before Tishrei, the period in which Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur fall.

It is also the month of reflection leading up to the climactic repentance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

This is often forgotten by Jews who are not Orthodox, something previously explored in Philadelphia Jewish Exponent articles.

But this year, Congregation Beth El in Voorhees is offering an educational reminder during the reflection period itself: Elul Illuminations is a four-part class at the synagogue beginning on Aug. 18 and concluding Sept. 8, three days before Rosh Hashanah.

Sessions will be taught by the shul’s clergy on themes of their choice relating to the month. Rabbi Sam Hollander will lead the Aug. 18 class, followed by Rabbi David Englander on Aug. 25, Cantor Zahava Fried on Sept. 1 and Rabbi Nogah Marshall on Sept. 8.

The course will “enrich your high holiday experience,” according to a Facebook post. It will also “help you enter the season with intention and inspiration.” Elul Illuminations is available in person and on Zoom, and it’s free for Beth El members and $54 for nonmembers.

“A lot of people think only Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are when you reflect and repent. But you have this whole month to reflect and think about how you want the next year to be,” said Marshall. “I think it’s a beautiful thing that we have this opportunity for a whole month.”

Beth El has been offering this class for four years, according to Marshall. Since it takes place during the day, it’s mostly accessible for older members. But all congregants, and Jewish community members in general, can get something out of it.

“It’s a way to reset your mind to enter into this High Holiday season. It’s to get you thinking, to get you reflecting, to understand what you’re going to be doing on these holidays,” Marshall said.

Marshall’s session will focus on Maimonides’ foundational text on teshuvah, or the act of return. In his writings, Maimonides describes true repentance as a complete behavioral and psychological transformation that returns a person to their truest state of goodness.

Maimonides’ process of teshuvah involves four steps.

Azivat ha-het, or cessation, is the first step and consists of stopping the behavior and removing the sin from one’s thoughts. It is followed by haratah, or regret, which is about feeling genuine remorse for the action. Viddui, or confession, involves articulating the sin out loud before God. Finally, kabbalah le’haba, or resolution, centers on a firm commitment to never repeat the transgression.

This is a reflective process. It probably can’t be done in a day or a span of 10 days.

Marshall’s session will examine why.

“Maimonides is one of the greatest rabbis and thinkers,” she said.

Hollander, Englander and Fried will also address themes they feel are important to the month of Elul.

“You’ll learn different aspects of the High Holidays. Sometimes maybe the cantor would pull out a specific prayer she likes or thought was meaningful. One year, one of the rabbis had everyone write their own personal reflections,” Marshall said.

By the end of the Elul Illuminations, students will understand on a deep level why Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are spiritual “culminations,” Marshall said.

“You’re spending a month reviewing your deeds and behaviors from the past year. It’s not just repentance. It’s return. It’s a return to who you once were,” she explained. “If you don’t like what you did … it’s returning to the best person you can be. It’s a process of turning away from wrong actions, and going back to the core of who you are.”

jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com