BySimon Rocker, Simon Rocker
A group of young Jews who ran alternative Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services in 2009 have gone one better this year by launching a pre-festival programme.
Grassroots Jews are staging a series of events under the title Ellul Boot Camp, a reference to the traditional month of preparation before the Ten Days of Repentance.
It kicks off on Sunday with Warrior Art Play Day - a creative exploration of the High Holy Day themes - at the London Moishe House in Willesden.
Other sesssions over the coming weeks will demonstrate how yoga, meditation and poetry can enhance spiritual experience.
Naomi Soetendorp, who helped to organise the services last year, said: "It's exciting how people are using different skills and interests to get more deeply involved in preparing for the High Holy Days."
Intended to "help us come together in a sense of cohesion", the events are open to all. "You don't have to be part of the Grassroots services."