Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah, meaning ‘head of the year’ in Hebrew, is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. The first of the High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Monday, September 22, and is celebrated until the evening of Wednesday, September 24. As one of Judaism’s holiest days, Rosh Hashanah is a time when work is traditionally forbidden. Instead, many Jews attend services at synagogue; eat symbolic foods such as apples and honey, honey cake, and round challah; and listen to the symbolic blast of the ‘shofar,’ a hollowed-out ram’s horn. Rosh Hashanah is also a time to reflect on the past year and intentions for the future. You may wish someone a happy Rosh Hashanah by saying, “Shanah tovah,” which means “good year,” or “Chag sameach,” which means “happy holiday.”
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, or ‘day of Atonement,’ always falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah. This year, it begins at sundown on Wednesday, October 1 and ends at sundown the following evening, Thursday, October 2. Yom Kippur is a somber holiday, and the holiest day of the year. This is a time when people fast for 25 hours, refrain from work, attend services, and atone for any wrongdoing in the past year. You may wish someone an easy fast on Yom Kippur, or say “G’mar chatimah tovah.”
Sometimes it can be hard when the High Holidays fall early on in the school year. Classes are in full swing, campus is buzzing, and people don’t think about these holidays when they’re scheduling events or exams. But Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the holiest days of the entire year in Judaism, so try to schedule around them if you can, or please be understanding of us missing things if you can’t. – UW staff
Policies and Guidelines for Instructors
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Religious Observances Policy
Existing religious observances academic policy note that:
- Instructors should announce early in the semester that your students must notify you within the first two weeks of class of the specific days or dates on which they request relief. Including this information on your course syllabus is encouraged, to make sure your students are informed of the policy.
- Make‑ups may be scheduled before or after the regularly scheduled requirements.
- It is understood that instructors may set reasonable limits on the total number of days claimed by any one student. Occasionally, students may not fully understand the necessity for prior notice, and under these circumstances we urge you to be as flexible as possible. Our policy seeks to be sensitive to the needs of individual students.
Religious Observances Guidelines
With the above policies in mind, instructors should follow these guidelines:
- Proactively plan ahead to avoid conflicts between examinations or major course activities and religious observances, when possible.
- A non-exhaustive list of cultural, religious, and ethinc holidays is provided by the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty. Additional observances may exist that are not included on this list.
- You can also add religious observances to your Outlook calendar.
- Communicate with your students early (e.g., mention in your course syllabi and class announcements), and highlight the shared responsibility – students are responsible for notifying instructors within the first two weeks of classes of the date(s) on which they request relief due to a religious observance.
- Accept students’ requests at face value.
- Be prepared to offer students alternative pathways to fulfill course requirements (including class attendance) in cases where conflicts can’t be avoided.
Students can use this template to connect with professors to request flexibility on classwork or evening exams.
Services and Meals: Open to students, faculty, and staff
Hillel , Chabad , and Jewish Experience of Madison (JEM), host erev and day-of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, tashlich, and meals open to students, faculty, and staff. You can learn more on their websites and social media.
RSVP to Hillel here, Chabad here, and JEM here.
There are also a number of local synagogues with services open to the public. Reach out to Center for Interfaith Dialogue staff with questions.