(September 4, 2013) Tennessee- Every year, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are on the office calendars, but not many people know what these holidays are for.
The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, or ISJL, gave us a description of what is celebrated during these holidays and some of the customs observed at each.
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. It begins at sunset on Wednesday, September 4. All Jewish holidays begin the evening before the day of the holiday.
The holiday is celebrated with a new year service, prayers, and meals shared with family and friends. A shofar, or ram’s horn, is sounded to signal the new year has come.
Traditional foods for the celebration of Rosh Hashanah include apples and honey to wish a “sweet new year,” and round challah bread.
Rosh Hashanah also marks the start of a 10 day period of reflection and preparation that leads up to Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, literally meaning “The Day of Atonement” begins at sunset on September 13 and lasts until sunset the next day, September 14.
Yom Kippur is a fasting holiday. Adults, traditionally, do not eat from the beginning of the holiday to the end of the holiday. That time is spent in services, prayer, study, and meditation in anticipation of doing better in the year ahead.
According to ISJL, Yom Kippur is not only about seeking repentance from God for sins that were committed. It is also about asking each person you have sinned against and ask them for forgiveness.
During the 10 day period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, an effort is made to reconcile with others and ask for forgiveness of anyone that may have been hurt or wronged.
As the sun sets on Wednesday, September 4, Rosh Hashanah begins and with it, a 10 day period of reflection, prayer, meditation, and celebration.
