Pearls of Elul 5786 - Day Thirteen

August 25 | 12 Elul

When I was a teenager, I would often attend an alternative Yom Kippur service that was called A Confession for Our Time at a local Reform temple where I grew up. The service was filled with music that stirred something deep within me. Rather than using our Jewish High Holy Day liturgy, the service utilized modern songs that get to the heart of the themes of the Days of Awe. One of the songs included in this service was The Living Years by Mike + The Mechanics.

This song was written in the wake of the deaths of the songwriters’ fathers, it reflects on generational conflict, missed opportunities, and the painful realization that some conversations cannot happen once it is too late. I believe this song is a powerful companion for the work of the High Holy Days.

During this season we are called upon to seek forgiveness, to repair what we can, and, perhaps most importantly, to say what needs to be said while we still have the chance. What words are we waiting to speak? What relationships need our attention? And what can we do now, in the living years, to move toward healing and reconciliation for a more holy and whole year ahead?

The Living Years, Mike + The Mechanics