Wishing our Jewish community a healthy and happy new year | MyNews | Seneca Students

October marks a significant period in the Jewish calendar that encompasses two major holidays: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Known as the High Holidays, this period combines celebration and joy with sacred reflection and repentance.

Rosh Hashanah is celebrated as the Jewish New Year, beginning after nightfall on October 2 and ending after nightfall on October 4. This is a festival holiday where Jewish people attend religious services and have celebratory meals at home. Traditional Rosh Hashanah feasts include round challah bread with raisins and apples dipped in honey, symbolizing well wishes for a sweet year.

Yom Kippur, beginning at sunset on October 11 and ending at nightfall on October 12, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. This is a time dedicated to atonement and repentance. Observant Jewish people may fast for 25 hours while spending much of the day in prayer as a form of spiritual purification. Yom Kippur concludes with the blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn blown like a trumpet, which signals the end of the fast and the day’s observances.

Following Yom Kippur, and adding to the fall holiday season, are Sukkot (October 16 to 23), as well as Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (October 23 to 25).

Wishing our Jewish community a healthy and happy new year – Shana Tova!