Before the High Holidays, the Jewish people must look inward - opinion

In an opinion piece for the Jerusalem Post, William C. Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, urges Jews to engage in introspection during Elul before the High Holidays. He cites external threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran, and rising antisemitism, including ADL data showing 203 assaults in 2025. He calls for internal unity, arguing that disagreement should not lead to estrangement, and emphasizes collective responsibility in repentance.

As the Hebrew month of Elul begins, William C. Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, writes in the Jerusalem Post that the Jewish calendar calls for a cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of the soul, before the High Holidays. He notes that the daily shofar blast serves as an alarm for conscience, reminding that renewal requires honesty and humility. Daroff acknowledges that this has been a difficult year, citing ongoing threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the regime in Tehran, as well as rising antisemitism worldwide, including murders at Bondi Beach and Manchester's Heaton Park Synagogue, and ADL data showing 203 antisemitic assaults in 2025, the highest in its audit history. He argues that while external threats warrant concern, Elul also requires looking inward, asking whether anger and contempt have weakened Jewish bonds. He emphasizes that Jewish tradition embraces disagreement, as seen in the Talmud, but warns that today's political differences often lead to moral excommunication and estrangement. He calls for arguing with humility and recognizing the divine image in others, and stresses that repentance is both individual and collective, as reflected in the plural confession on Yom Kippur. He concludes by urging Jews to prepare for the holidays by examining their actions, seeking forgiveness, and standing together as one people before the Creator.