Faces of TJE: Aaron Polster

For Aaron Polster, the events of October 7, 2023, marked a profound shift—not just globally, but personally.

Before then, Aaron had what many might call a “satisfactory” Jewish life in Denver. He was no stranger to Jewish tradition. He’d gather 30 friends for an annual Passover seder, attend synagogue for the High Holidays, and occasionally host or join a Shabbat dinner. Community was there—but it wasn’t until tragedy struck that Aaron realized something deeper was missing.

Upgrading the Reduction

The Torah refers to the ‘teruah’ sound of the shofar when we blow it on Rosh Hashanah and also it is denoted as the remembrance of the teruah. Why the two different references? The sound of the teruah motivates one to repent, however, the motivation is only good if we follow through. Additionally, we must ‘remember’ the call to repent during the entire year.