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These are prayers and stories for the Yamim Noraim, including brief descriptions and links to each. Here’s a focused list of prayers for Elul, another one of prayers for Rosh Hashana, a list of prayers for Yom Kippur and one more for Sukkot.

T’shuva (Repentance, Return)

Each of these three meditations begins with a prophetic voice, asking why we stay chained to our sorrows, then challenges us to see life as a sacred journey:

• For Healing the Spirit – Why do we waste our days in grief and despair when we have the power to make our lives holy?
• For Sharing Divine Gifts – Can we find the path of compassion, using our divine gifts in service to each other in the name of G-d?
• Regarding Old Wounds – Are you ready to take your most crushing losses and turn them into a deep well of strength and love?

Living in Holiness

These prayers and meditations examine journey of a living a life of holiness, focusing on attributes (like humility) and practices (listening for G-d’s voice, doing G-d’s will):

• For Grace – A meditation about living a life of grace by offering grace to others
• For Humility – For living a life of humility in service to G-d, ourselves and others
• To Do Your Will – To ask for the guidance to do G-d’s will in humility and love
• For Wonder and Awe – To put aside vain pursuits and to seek G-d as my Holy Shelter
• To Hear Your Voice – We yearn to hear G-d’s message. G-d’s voice is available to all who choose to listen
• The Path of Righteousness – The path of righteousness is paved with questions
• G-d’s Plan: An Introspection – A prayer/poem about surrendering to G-d’s will
• For Compassion – About seeing myself in all men and women, and showing compassion for others in service to G-d
• On Making a Mistake – Elevating a mistake into an act of wisdom, charity and love
• To Ask – On asking for G-d’s guidance and support to live a life of righteousness

Time

Prayers about the holiness of time and the sanctity of this period in the Jewish calendar, from Elul through the end of Sukkot and Simchat Torah:

• Rhythms – A meditation about the contrasting rhythms of life, time moving in a straight line and holiness moving in circles
• The Season of Healing – The month of Elul and the Yamim Noraim are a season of healing our souls and our lives
• The Season of Return – The month of Elul and the Yamim Noraim are a season of return to G-d, repentance and t’shuva
• History – A celebration of the gifts of history and memory

For Creation and the New Year

Meditations  for the New Year, which is also Yom Harat Olam, the birthday of the world:

• For the New Year – In thanks for the New Year, the flow of time and the gift of life
• Another Year: An Introspection – A reflection on the passage of time
• For Creation – A quick meditation on the beauty of creation
• About the Rainbow – A reflection on the glory of creation

Vidui (Confession)

Meditations on confession:

• Meditation Before the Yom Kippur Vidui – A meditation to prepare the heart and the mind for a thorough and honest confession
• Meditation After the Yom Kippur Vidui – A meditation on living differently as a result of an honest and heartfelt confession

Neilah (Yom Kippur Closing Service)

Prayers as the day ends and our hearts yearn:

• At the Gates – Standing at the gates of prayer, repentence and charity
• Meditation Before Neilah – What have I left to say to G-d?

Death and Mourning

For an annotated list of Memorial and Yizkor prayers, click here. Here are prayers about preparing for one’s own death:

• Near the End: A Meditation – A meditation on preparing for the journey of my own death with grace and dignity, awe and wonder
• Remember – A call back to our deepest sense of peace and well-being
• Things Break – As we face the flow of endings and beginnings, G-d’s love remains
• Gather Me – Comfort in the thought of being gathered to our people

Stories

Here are two short, short stories for the holidays:

• Cantor Cohen - A Yom Kippur story of a Chazzan preparing to lead his congregation in prayer, repentance and righteousness
• Motyl the Fool – A Simchat Torah story about a man who loves Torah, a man who feels the fire of G-d’s word

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