#BlogElul and #ElulGram 2017

For the last few years, I've embarked on a project, and invited the social media world to join with me.

#BlogElul and #Elulgram have inspired, informed, and offered a little bit of additional introspection across the internet for the last few years. I'm not sure that you're all exactly excited to see it, but just as the calendar makes its way around again towards Tishri...so too does #BlogElul come around again.

Elul -- that wonderful and terrifying month that precedes the High Holy Days.

Perfect for blogging and other social media...

A month of introspection and considering, a month of personal reflection and preparation.

So what's it all about? I have made a list of Elul-related topics, and I'm inviting you (yes, you! reader, colleague, friend...anyone with a desire to share ideas about the holidays) to join me.

But you don't have to stop with "blogging." Sure, it's called BlogElul but you can "blog" in any way you like. Maybe it's your daily Facebook update or tweet. Maybe it's your Instagram photos or SnapChat story? Now we have quick-video services -- perhaps a daily 6-second video? (Challenge: somehow use that cool Boomerang app…) Maybe you don't want to do it daily. Maybe you just want to dip your toe into the experience, or just read (and share?) what others write. It's totally up to you. I always love to see the creative things that the #BlogElul community comes up with.

Feel free to right-click and save this image to use in your own posts

There are no rules. I provide the topics (see graphic or below for text) for each of the days of the month. Just write a post of some kind about that topic on that day. Use the hashtag to share your post (I like to put it in my titles) and share other people's posts as well. This could be a way to revitalize your blog, kickstart a new project, or even just get yourself ready for the holidays! I know that lots of people use #BlogElul as a spiritual exercise each year, and I'm so proud to be a part of their yearly journey through Elul.

And what about #ElulGram? This one is even more interpretive. Photos, art, illustrations, quotes -- what kinds of images can you put together to explore and interpret these High Holy Day themes? You don't have to limit your picture-sharing to Instagram (even though I totally appropriated the name), you can use any image-sharing site you'd like, such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. Whatever you do, tag it with #ElulGram so we can call share and follow.

These themes and ideas are broad and open, and again -- there are NO RULES except the ones you make for yourself!

And yes, I know that the dates include Shabbat. I personally don't blog/tweet/Facebook on Shabbat, but I will post before and after Shabbat. You can do whatever you like!

Are you going to play along? Let me know! Leave me a comment here, send me a tweet, or send up a signal fire.... Feel free to grab my pretty badge to announce to the whole world that you're Blogging Elul. If you let me know that you're doing it, we can cross-post, or guest-post, or even just do some virtual hand-holding as the days grow closer to Tishrei. I'll try to link to as many posts and pics as I can - won't it be amazing to all share in the Elul journey together?

I'm looking forward to sharing this journey with you. Elul begins on August 23rd (it's always on time), so I wanted to give you a head start if you're going to pre-write some of your posts.

I hope that our shared preparation for 5778 brings meaning and hope, inspiration and enlightenment for all of us.

The list:

Elul 1: Act

Elul 2: Search

Elul 3: Prepare

Elul 4: Choose

Elul 5: Accept

Elul 6: Want

Elul 7: Understand

Elul 8: Hear

Elul 9: See

Elul 10: Forgive

Elul 11: Trust

Elul 12: Count

Elul 13: Remember

Elul 14: Learn

Elul 15: Intend

Elul 16: Pray

Elul 17: Awaken

Elul 18: Ask

Elul 19: Speak

Elul 20: Fill

Elul 21: Love

Elul 22: End

Elul 23: Begin

Elul 24: Hope

Elul 25: Change

Elul 26: Create

Elul 27: Bless

Elul 28: Give

Elul 29: Return