As the Biblical month of Elul begins, Jewish communities around the world enter a sacred season of prayerful reflection. Elul is the time of cheshbon nefesh, an honest accounting of the soul. It is a season of repentance, of examining motives in our own hearts, of returning to God with sincerity. The shofar is sounded each morning as a vivid wake-up call, reminding the heart to awaken and prepare for the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah – the New Year - and Yom Kippur – the Day of Repentance.

I wish you could hear the shofar outside my window, from nearby synagogues and the balconies of people’s homes. It’s spiritually stirring and essential. Every day. It’s like the snooze button on an alarm clock that you can’t turn off, and shouldn’t want to.

This ancient rhythm of introspection and repentance speaks powerfully to us in many ways. Scripture calls us to examine ourselves, to repent, and to realign our lives with the purposes of God. In this season, we are invited to ask not only what needs repair in our private lives, but also what faithfulness looks like toward one another personally, and globally toward the people and Land God has never stopped loving.

Israel stands at the center of that divine story. The same God who calls His people to repent in Elul is the God who keeps His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Supporting Israel is not merely a political stance. It’s more than charity. It is an act of spiritual alignment with God’s heart. When we stand with the Jewish people, we honor the root that supports the branch. We participate in a living testimony that God’s promises remain true. We see the realization of that faithfulness every day throughout Israeli society.

This Elul, the needs in Israel remain urgent. Families still experience trauma of the massacre and the war inflicted upon us October 7, three years ago. Border communities continue to rebuild. Soldiers and reservists carry heavy burdens. Widows, orphans, and the displaced look for practical help and the comfort of knowing they are not forgotten. Christian support for Israel through prayer, advocacy, and tangible giving has become a vital expression of love that bring Jews and Christians together in ways never seen before.

I invite you to join this season by taking a concrete step demonstrating your support. Would you prayerfully consider a gift that helps plant hope, strengthen resilience, and bring relief to those who need it most? Would you please consider a tangible gift to the Genesis 123 Foundation that helps continue to build bridges between Jews and Christians?

Your partnership allows us to provide food, trauma care, support for the elderly and children, and encouragement to those who defend the Land.

Elul reminds us that repentance is not only about sorrow for the past. Repentance is about choosing a better direction for the future. Standing with Israel today is one such choice. It declares that we will not look away. It affirms that the God of Israel is still faithful, and that we desire to be remain faithful to and partner with Him.

May this season of introspection draw your heart closer our Creator and His heart, deepen your love and connection for the people He calls His own, and may he answer all your prayers for you and your loved ones. Thank you for considering how you might respond. Together, let us turn toward God and toward His purposes for Israel with courage and compassion.

When you give a gift of any amount here this month, I will be pleased to send you a teaching about Jewish prayer and repentance this Elul season. And for any gift of $67 or more – corresponding to the numerical value of Elul in Hebrew – you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a free shofar like the one in the picture.