submitted by dames@augsburg.edu
Created by Interfaith Fellow ’17-’19 Wendy Goldberg, to help Augsburg know about this big season for Jews in our community.
We are entering the Jewish High Holy Day season, which runs for the month of Tishrei this year from Monday evening, Sept. 6 – Sept. 29, including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot.
For college students, being away from home for these holidays can highlight the homesickness and the yearning to be in the nest, and for some, quite the opposite. If you celebrate Christmas, imagine staying on campus while most students return home. If you celebrate Ramadan, this season is similar to that month of observance.
How to be an ally: We encourage you to have conversations with your Jewish students and colleagues about their observances. If you are aware that students or colleagues are Jewish, it would likely be welcomed to ask them how they observe the holidays and what they mean to them. You could also move important meetings or events away from Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
2021 dates for these holidays:
Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Sept. 6 and ends at nightfall on Sept. 8. Some American Jews celebrate for one day, others for two.
Yom Kippur begins an hour before sundown on Sept. 15 and ends at nightfall on Sept. 16. After a 25-hour fast and being in synagogue services, the feast goes into the evening, like an Eid meal. This is the holiest of holy days and for those observing, they would not do work for these 25 hours.
Sukkot begins at sundown on Mon, Sept. 20, and the first two days are considered holy days where some Jews don’t work, use electricity, etc. Sukkot ends at sundown on Sept. 28 for some, and Sept. 29 for others.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Wendy Goldberg: wengold66@gmail.com or 612-386-1191. To connect students with Jewish events or community contact Rivka Buchbinder buchbinr@augsburg.edu of Minnesota Hillel-Augsburg or University of Minnesota Hillel, 612-379-4026 hillel@umn.edu.