In honor of St. Thomas’ many Jewish students, Campus Ministry invites the university community to be mindful of two important feasts for the Jewish tradition: Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement.
Beginning at sundown Friday, Sept. 18, and ending the following Sunday, the feast of Rosh Hashana will be commemorated. A few days later, the Jewish community will observe the feast of Yom Kippur from sundown Sunday, Sept. 27, and ending the following day.
Rosh Hashana is commonly known as the Jewish New Year and is one of the holiest times of the Jewish Year. In the Bible, the holiday is known as the Day of Remembrance or the Day of the Sounding of the Shofar, a ram’s horn that is blown in a similar manner as a trumpet (Leviticus 23:24-25). Many in the Jewish community participate in the many synagogue liturgies for the feast and do not work because of the sacredness of the time.
Yom Kippur, which is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year, is a time to atone for one’s sins committed in the past year, particularly one’s offences against God. Yom Kippur is commemorated by not working and by refraining from eating and drinking; various other customs are maintained depending on one’s particular sect of Judaism.
For more information and support, contact Don Beyers, assistant director of Campus Ministry, (651) 962-6562.
