Watching the Olympics was breath taking. Perhaps this year, without spectators, especially highlighted the athleticism, the team spirit, the grace of athletes who not only won but those who did not gain the podium. We saw both patriotism and participation in the world community as shown through how the athletes modeled respect of their opponents, also the best in the world, and how they entered the Opening Ceremonies and how they entered the Closing Ceremonies.

I cannot imagine what it takes to be not only so skilled in a sport but so focused as to be able to practice hour upon hour upon hour in order to compete for an even that may take less than a minute or may differentiate by a single point or even a hundredth of a second.

Enter the High Holy Days. Literally. As the new moon of Elul rose on Sunday, we have entered into the preparation period for the High Holy Days. Just as no athlete could hear the whistle, starter pistol, countdown clock or music and be their best without practice, so too must we practice being our best. The first step is to be aware of the lives we are leading. Enter Elul.

Elul is a time to live our lives–our interactions with family, friends and colleagues, strangers, at home, work, play, in the volunteer work we do–while watching ourselves closely. It is a time for inner reflection, for holding ourselves accountable, for being honest with ourselves in order to reach the starting line which we call Rosh HaShanah.