Yom Kippur starts tonight; yesterday was one of the reflective moments in the Jewish calendar: *Shabbat Shuvah*, the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Shabbat Shuvah takes its name from the opening words of the Haftarah, *Shuvah Yisrael* – “Return, O Israel.” The word shuvah comes from the Hebrew root meaning “to return”, and it captures the essence of these Ten Days of Teshuvah: an invitation to pause, reflect and consider the direction of our lives.

I am from Liverpool, but I now live in Manchester, and that reflection feels particularly poignant this year. Manchester is a city with a large, proud and vibrant Jewish community, yet recent events have reminded us that we cannot take our sense of security, community or togetherness for granted. The terror attack in Manchester last year left a deep scar, and as we approach Yom Kippur, I find myself thinking........

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