Overcoming apathy and discouragement and preparing for Rosh Hashanah

Preparing for Rosh Hashanah should not be a downer. It’s an auspicious, exciting time for clarity and closeness, grounded in positivity and love.

The Hebrew month of Elul, a spiritually super-charged time leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, has a surprising theme. The word “Elul” is an acronym for the phrase “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li – I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me” that comes from King Solomon’s Song of Songs (6:3).

To borrow from Tina Turner’s famous song, what’s love got to do with it? Why does this phrase that articulates the deep longing between two lovers, which is a m...