Skip To Content
JEWISH. INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT.
News

Finding Motivation in the Mirror for Elul

If you’ve spent the past year on gambling and gluttony, it’s time to look busy. Elul, the last month of the Jewish calendar and the month of repentance, is upon us. For the next few weeks, it’s nothing but atonement, apologies and self-reproach. Oh, it’s going to be fun all right. If you’re having trouble getting yourself motivated, a role model might help. Maybe your resolution for 5764 is to be as graceful as Holly Golightly or as cool as the King. The Elul Role Model Mirror will get you halfway there. It lets you see yourself reflected as your hero. It’s sure to inspire you to mend your ways or, at the very least, to try a new haircut.

Elul Role Model Mirror

Mirror with an unfinished wood frame (we got ours at IKEA)

Pencil

Acrylic paint

Paintbrushes in a variety of sizes

Clear varnish (pick one that’s specifically made to use with acrylic paint, available at craft stores)

Flatback rhinestones and glue (optional)

  1. Start by sketching your design onto your mirror in pencil. No need to include a face; that would go where the mirror is. Just draw the neck and shoulders, the sides of the face, hair and any identifying accessories (like a tiara for Holly Golightly, sideburns for Elvis, etc.).

  2. Fill in your design using the acrylic paint. When paint is completely dry, brush on a coat of clear varnish. Allow varnish to set.

  3. If your role model is a little flashy, you can accent your mirror by gluing on flatback rhinestones.

  4. Look in the mirror and get inspired. Then get to work changing your evil ways.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

Republish This Story

Please read before republishing

We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search.  See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs.

To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. Please email us at [email protected], subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up.

We don't support Internet Explorer

Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site.