Celebrating Yom Kippur in College
Although we have a few more months left in our year, the Jewish New Year just began during Rosh Hashanah this past weekend, and Yom Kippur will begin Sunday at sundown. Both of these holidays celebrate the ending of one year while welcoming the next.
As many aspect of our lives look different in college than at home—from our strange sleep schedules to our irregular eating times and, for some of us, having to wear flip flops in the shower—the ways we celebrate holidays are no exception. For many, this means celebrating a holiday previously spent with family now with friends and community on campus.
Each year, many Elon students celebrate Yom Kippur with the Chabad House and Hillel on campus. Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year in Judaism, and it celebrates the atonement of one’s sins over the past year. It’s a way to let go of the past year and past mistakes and welcome positivity for the new year. This holy day is honored by fasting from sundown to the following sunset as well as through prayer services.
The Edge spoke with one Jewish student, Sadie Guffey ’24, to learn more about what Yom Kippur means to her and how she celebrates away from home.
Celebration looks different for everyone, but some students prefer to celebrate by attending a morning prayer service and spending the rest of the day relaxing. Some, like Sadie, choose to fast as a way to honor the holy day. After attending Chabad in the morning, she plans to “hibernate for the rest of the day.”
As you fast, it’s tradition to relax and not work or participate in anything that would cause you to exert energy. For several students, this requires submitting a request to not attend class for the day in order to honor the holiday. This long day of fasting ends with breaking fast the following sundown. In the past, it was a tradition for Sadie’s family to break fast together, she says. Living hundreds of miles away from home calls for the instillment of new traditions, such as breaking fast with friends instead.
The idea of fasting seems daunting for many. To show support, we asked Sadie how she thinks we can best support those around us celebrating Yom Kippur.
“Don’t eat in front of your friends if they’re fasting!” she says.
She also shares that it’s nice to show that you’re there for your Jewish friends during this time. It’s a time of year in which “some reflect on the past year, and at times that process can be emotionally taxing,” says Sadie.
For Jewish people, Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year.
Awareness is key. You can show support by both reaching out to and not eating in front of those who fast. This upcoming Yom Kippur is a simple and easy way to show your support, which is crucial to building a more inclusive and welcoming campus environment. By understanding more about different holidays like Yom Kippur, one can better understand the various cultures we’re fortunate to have on campus.
By curiously and open-mindedly asking questions about other cultures, you have the opportunity to learn so much while creating deeper connections and a more welcoming campus. No matter how you celebrate or if you celebrate, don’t forget to reach out to your Jewish friends and learn how to better support them as they honor this holiday.