[rosewaning]

Does anyone know a method to synthesize sulfite (or sodium sulfite) from elemental sulfur?

[woelen]

Easiest is to burn sulphur in a closed vessel and putting a little cup with a solution of NaOH in the same closed vessel. The sulphur will stop burning when the oxygen in closed vessel. When you allow it to stand for a day or say (keeping the system closed), then all SO2 formed in the buring reaction of sulphur will be absorbed by the solution of NaOH.

But on the other hand, Na2SO3 is such a common and such a cheap chemical, it really isn't worth trying to make this yourself. It can be ordered at many places (e.g. online photography raw chemical suppliers), it can be shipped without any hazmat fees and it is cheap. If you want a source of this simple chemical, then please send a private message to me.