Hebrew Word of the Week:
Bet you didn’t know this one: g’luyah (גלויה), meaning postcard. Many Hebrew speakers in my life, including Israelis, didn’t know this word. Probably because no oe writes postcards anymore.
Greetings from Croatia! That’s what my g’luyah to you would say.
We’re smack dab in the middle of Elul, the month of reflection, returning, repair, and retrograde (kidding about that last one, I just wanted another R word, but maybe it is? I don’t understand that stuff).
And on a personal note, Elul happens to be my birth month! I was actually 32 years old when I realized this, which feels like just yesterday, because, well, it was! That’s right - today is my English birthday.
I always assumed Av was my Hebrew birth month, since I was born in August. Especially in a recent class taught by the ever-so-chic Rabbi Arielle Stein of Congregation Rodeph Shalom (the class was at Central Synagogue), when she showed us a list of the Hebrew months and their corresponding mazalot (constellations, like zodiac signs but older!) and Jewish tribes.
My eyes immediately went to Av and its mazal. A lion. Hell yeah. Totally makes sense.
I’ve always drawn inspiration from the Lion of Judah, the Jewish symbol for strength. My experience in Israel last year during Operation Rising Lion only reinforced that feeling, and for years I’ve had this image of the Iron Dome saved on my desktop because I thought it was cool:
Imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks ago, I looked up my Jewish birthday (thanks Chabad!) and realized my Hebrew birthday is, in fact, the 11th of Elul. Oops. Or maybe I forgot?
Which makes me quite relieved, because Av is an intense month to have a birthday. As we know, Av is the saddest month, leading up to the commemoration of the destruction of our Temple and other Jewish calamities.
Upon reflection (pun intended), it makes sense Elul is my birth month for a couple of reasons.
One: I’m always reflecting! I love to journal, and I set quarterly goals for myself and then review how I did. I also love a good Rosh Chodesh circle to reflect on the themes of the upcoming month.
Two: As I wrote in this previous Drop, the flower of the Elul is the rose. 🌹 This is fitting because every Shabbat, in Jewish camp fashion, I share my “rose of the week,” or my highlight of the week and make whoever I’m spending Shabbat with share theirs, too. While not my favorite flower, which is the ranunculus, the rose speaks to my reflective soul!
Three: The tribe associated with Elul is the tribe of Gad, representing fortune, military prowess, and being attacked but ultimately overcoming. Not to sound like an astrology girlie who always reads her horoscope and thinks, “Yes, yes, that’s so me - I DO face trials and tribulations and can overcome them!”, the traits of Gad remind me of how I reconnected with my Judaism in the first place: through the military might of (and my brother joining) the IDF. Also, I AM a warrior who is constantly attacked but nevertheless overcomes - I mean, have you seen the stupid, nasty comments I get on my social media?! They only make me stronger, and by that I mean prouder to be Jewish.
Four: The Hebrew letter associated with Elul is yud (י). In Kabbalah, this represents the foundation, the initial divine spark of wisdom in which something is created from nothing. And my Hebrew name, מעיין, has two yuds in it! Maybe that’s why I’ve always been drawn to the idea of taking a small spark of Torah and turning it into a shareable, bite-sized Drop through writing: one divine spark for me, one for you. Double your divine spark, double your fun! ✨
The only Elul trait I don’t connect with is its mazal, the betulah, or virgin. Even though my sign is Virgo, that’s where the similarities end.
My birthday blessing to all of you:
May you find your divine inner spark that lights up your Jewish soul. May you be a warrior who overcomes. And may you find out your exact Hebrew birthday so you don’t make the same mistake I did.
Good Shabbos! Time to party,
💦 If you like Elul, check out these Drops:
A Month by Any Other Name
On Elul's deeper meanings, like acronyms ("I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me"), and its flower, the rose.
20 Lessons I Learned in My 20s
Some life lessons I’ve learned throughout my 20s on various topics from dating and friendship to work. Even if you’re not in your 20s, the following could apply to any age.
The Queen is in the Field
Seeking spirituality for the High Holidays? Get ready with Shamir Collective's Sarah Chandler! In this interview, we talk about Sarah’s work, including a workbook to help you get into the Elul mindset, and a kit for cemetery measuring candles. If you’re someone who’s seeking spirituality and likes to celebrate the High Holidays a little more your own way while honoring tradition, this Drop is for you!
Miranda looks like 22, gorgeous, vivacious, a class act I'm glad to know. She has the qualities of a news editor, could run a national column. Brad Bergmann
Happy birthday/Yom Huledet Sameach!!!