As summer begins to give way to autumn, the Jewish calendar invites us into a season unlike any other. The month of Elul serves as a bridge between the ordinary rhythms of daily life and the sacred work of the High Holy Days. It is a season of preparation, reflection, and renewal. The Hebrew word most associated with Elul is teshuvah, often translated as repentance, but more accurately understood as return. During Elul, we begin the journey of returning: to ourselves, to one another, to our values, and to the deepest truths of our lives.
For thousands of years, when Jews sought transformation, they went into the wilderness.
Abraham and Sarah left behind everything familiar and followed an uncertain path toward a new future. Moses encountered the Divine in the wilderness. Miriam led songs of freedom at the edge of the sea. The Israelites spent forty years wandering through a landscape that challenged them, shaped them, and ultimately prepared them to enter a new chapter of their collective life.
Again and again, our sacred stories remind us that the wilderness is not merely a location. It is a place of becoming. Away from the noise and demands of everyday life, we often discover something essential. The wilderness slows us down. It invites us to pay attention. It reminds us that we are part of something larger than ourselves. Beneath towering trees, beside flowing water, beneath a sky filled with stars, it becomes easier to hear the quiet wisdom that can be difficult to access amid the busyness of modern life.
There is a reason that people throughout the generations have sought out retreats, pilgrimages, and sacred journeys. Stepping away from our routines creates space for perspective. It allows us to reconnect with what matters most. It helps us remember who we are and who we hope to become.
Yet the power of retreat is not found only in solitude.
Jewish tradition has always understood that spiritual growth happens in community. We gather for prayer, for learning, for celebration, and for support. We carry one another through seasons of joy and seasons of challenge. We remind one another of our shared values and aspirations. Our annual Elul Camping Retreat 2026 offers a unique opportunity to experience both gifts at once: the beauty of the natural world and the strength of Jewish community.
Over the course of the weekend, we will welcome Shabbat together, share meals around common tables, sing around the campfire, learn, laugh, hike, pray, and simply enjoy being together in one of the most beautiful settings in the Sierra Nevada. Everyone of all ages have a place in this experience. Whether you are a seasoned camper or trying it for the very first time, you are welcome.
As we gather in the wilderness, we begin preparing ourselves for the sacred work that lies ahead. Soon we will hear the shofar. Soon we will gather for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. Soon we will be asked to reflect on the year that has passed and the year we hope to create. Elul reminds us that such work does not begin on the High Holy Days themselves. It is always beginning.
We hope you will join us as we welcome Shabbat beneath the pines, strengthen the bonds of community, and prepare our hearts for the journey ahead.
Elul Camping Retreat 2026
August 28–30, 2026
Bear River Group Campground
A multigenerational weekend of Shabbat, community, nature, learning, song, and spiritual preparation for the High Holy Days.
Come as you are. Leave refreshed, connected, and ready to enter the season of renewal.
