Best Practices and Resources in Support of our Jewish Students During Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Dear Cañada Community,

As we approach Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Office of Equity and Cultural Center have prepared a series of best practices to support our Jewish students, faculty, staff, and administrators on campus. This special time is marked by important celebrations, contemplation, and practices that may change the way our campus community accesses classes, meetings, food, water, rest, and reflection. More information about the observation of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is included below for awareness on how to support students and colleagues during this time. 

What is Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?

Rosh Hashanah is considered one of the biggest celebrations of the year–marking the beginning of the Jewish New Year. Many families gather together to reflect on the suffering in the world and seek repentance, eat honey and apples–which symbolize hope, light candles, and blow the shofar (ram’s horn) as a symbolic wake-up call. 

The time from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur is called the High Holidays because it is a very holy time in Jewish tradition. It is a time when the Jewish people reflect upon their past year, and that of the world, and make commitments to learning from mistakes and pledge both individually and communally to do better to receive a renewal of the gift of life for the following year. In Judaism, people reflect and repent each year and pray to be given life for another year, so these holidays are a time for renewal and reflection. This requires time for focusing during the ten days of reflection between the High Holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and then fast on the day of Yom Kippur. This fasting symbolizes a final cleansing of the old through the sacrifice of food for a day and asking for forgiveness and the gift of life for the following year. The evening before each holiday plus the following day are usually spent in the house with others.

Many of our Jewish students and colleagues will be with their families during these times, and have asked our college community to consider what this means for accommodations in class, and scheduling meetings during these special days. 

This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 and ends on the evening of Yom Kippur on Saturday, October 12, 2024. 

How Can I Support?

Food Containers

If you are serving any food in your daytime classes or events during this time, please consider having options such as to-go containers. You may also get free to-go containers from the Cultural Center, located in Building 17, Room 117.

Space

Contemplative and meditation spaces are available in Building 5, Room 202 - please contact Sergio Suarez, Student Life & Leadership Manager, for more details. The Cultural Center also offers a reparative space for reflection and thought in Building 17, Room 107, for more details about this offering, please contact Maggie De Paz Fernandez, Program Services Coordinator at the Cultural Center. 

Class & Activities

As a campus, we encourage instructors and students, employees and their supervisors, and coaches and their players to work together to find the best feasible solutions to support people when they are fasting and observing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur this month.

Shanah tovah, good year, to you!