September feels like it lasted forever—three months crammed into one. Between new classes, new routines and the exhaustion that comes with dragging yourself out of summer mode, the start of school seems endless. Luckily, the calendar threw us a small lifeline: two days off towards the end of the month. But these “bonus” days off aren’t random. They mark two of the most important Jewish holidays: the High Holidays.
The High Holidays include Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah was observed Sept. 22-24 and Yom Kippur followed from Oct. 1-2. Another day off of school, but why?
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is a solemn holiday centered on fasting, prayer, and reflection as people seek forgiveness and a fresh start to the new year, which begins around two weeks earlier with Rosh Hashanah.
“A lot of my friends don’t really know the meaning behind these days off, they just recognize them as Jewish holidays,” Avery Kalter ’27 said.
Between Westport and Norwalk, only around 15% of the population is Jewish. So, many students see the time off as a chance to catch up on sleep. For Jewish students, it means long hours in synagogue, no food, no water and plenty of reflection.
“I go to the temple at 10:30 a.m. for services, and at the end of the day, we break our fast by eating bagels and lots of other food,” Sami Selig ’27 said. “I have fasted every year since my Bat Mitzvah, [but] I usually only last until 2 p.m.”
In Westport, there are three synagogues: Temple Israel (Reform), TCS (Conservative) and The Chabad (Orthodox). Throughout these synagogues, many teens are either working or getting volunteer hours, especially on holidays.
“For three years on Yom Kippur, I have volunteered at Temple Israel, working with younger children,” Amanda Lessing ’28 said. “I either help supervise them while their parents are at services, or I guide them in learning about the holiday, its meaning, traditions, and why it is celebrated.”
