The Courage to Return: A Mussar Journey for Elul
Two-session event:
7-8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesdays Aug. 26 & Sept. 2 ( 6 p.m. CT ; 4 p.m. PT)
As we prepare for Elul—a season of reflection, renewal, and return—many of us are carrying the emotional weight of a world that often feels fractured and uncertain. The constant stream of conflict, suffering, and difficult choices can leave us feeling discouraged, exhausted, or disconnected from our deepest values.
How do we stay compassionate without becoming spiritually overwhelmed?
In this two-part series, Rabbah Gila Caine will guide these experiences through a Mussar lens and the emerging concept of moral injury. We’ll examine how Mussar understands the soul, what happens when it becomes burdened, and how timeless practices of soul work can help us remain grounded, compassionate, and resilient.
In the first session, we'll explore the concept of moral injury through the lens of Mussar and consider how our tradition understands both soul hurt and soul healing. In the second session, drawing on the teachings of Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, participants will craft a Ner Tamid—a personal mission statement to serve as a guiding framework for Elul and the soul work of the year ahead.
“In a place where there is sanctity, there is dignity / respect. Dignity / respect resides within humans as well, since they have been given a divine soul, and she, the soul, demands respect and dignity”
— R' Shlomo Wolbe, Alei Shur, book 2, p. 225
Meet your Madrichah
Born and raised in Jerusalem, Rabbah Gila Caine is a graduate of the Hebrew University (with a Master’s in Contemporary Judaism) and an alumna of HUC-JIR’s Israeli rabbinic program where she was ordained in 2011. Circa 2018 she was captivated by Mesillat Yesharim and dived into an introduction to Mussar over a two-year period studying at the CCM’s clergy class, where she continues to study and teach.
Rabbi Caine has served congregations and unaffiliated Jews in Israel and now in Canada, where she currently lives with her family and where she serves as rabbi of Temple Beth Ora Synagogue in Edmonton, AB.