This year, the Jewish new year Rosh Hashanah, is being celebrated from sundown on Wednesday, October 2 to sundown on Friday, October 4. While most NDB students are aware of the meaning behind New Year’s Day and Lunar New Year, which both convey the significance of the holiday in their titles, Rosh Hashanah is not so widely recognized.
Like the previously listed holidays, Rosh Hashanah represents the time believed to mark the beginning of the year, in this case representing the creation of humanity from the Judaism belief.
Those practicing Judaism also consider the two-day holiday an opportunity for introspection and rejoicing as a community, making it a very special time of the year for this demographic.
“My favorite part of Rosh Hashanah is celebrating the new year with my family and congregation, as it really brings us together because we do not get to gather for events too often,” said sophomore Jewish student Riley Blum.
Blum is just one example of a student who views Rosh Hashanah as a meaningful part of practicing Judaism and agrees that it would be highly beneficial for more members within the NDB community to understand and respect the significance of the holiday, thereby elevating its importance for the those that partake in its celebration.
“I think I would definitely feel more welcome because … Notre Dame is a Catholic school,” added Blum. “There are times where I feel a little bit out of place, so seeing other students appreciate the significance of the holiday would help a lot.”
Aside from the students who celebrate this holiday, Jewish staffulty members are also looking forward to celebrating Rosh Hashanah.
“[My favorite part of the holiday] … is I think just coming together and baking …, in particular using apples and honey,” said Social Science Teacher Wendy Connolly. “It’s the ability to reflect back on a new year and know that it’s a new year with new beginnings … it’s the setting new goals that I love.”
While Connolly believes that each religion should be able to celebrate its traditions in its own way, she also thinks that it is important for people from different religions to acknowledge and understand each other’s customs, especially for Rosh Hashanah as it is so under-recognized.
“If they understood the history behind it, the reason behind it … it would make us more open to other voices, other cultures, other religions, and I think anybody is a better person that understands various groups of people, not just their own,” Connolly said.
Both the Jewish and non-Jewish Tigers can benefit from the entirety of the student body making some effort to appreciate the Jewish new year this October. The knowledge of different religions can better students’ education as well as create a more welcoming environment for all who attend NDB. Whether this includes using apples and honey to bake something or simply taking a moment to reflect, it would very likely make a difference for everyone as they make an effort to better themselves.
