High Holy Days

Salford is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the UK. One of the most important times of the year for the community is the period known as 'High Holy Days'. The Jewish High Holy Days are observed during a ten day period between the first day (Rosh Hashanah) and the tenth day (Yom Kippur) of Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish calendar.

The time between these two main holidays is special in the Jewish calendar. Jews are required to focus on repentance and atonement during this period. While God passes judgment on Rosh Hashanah, the books of life and death remain open during the Days of Awe so that Jewish people have the opportunity to change which book they are in before it is sealed on Yom Kippur. Jewish people spend these days working to amend their behavior and seeking forgiveness for wrongs done during the past year.

This year the High Holy Days will be celebrated from Wednesday 28 September to Saturday 8 October.

If you would like to find out more about Salford's Orthodox Jewish population you can access the community profile on the BME communities page.

Rosh Hashanah

The High Holy days begin with Rosh Hashanah also known as the Jewish New Year. It is observed for two days. In Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah marks the anniversary of the creation of the world as described in the Torah. It is also the day on which God inscribes the fate of each person in the 'Book of Life' or the 'Book of Death'. Rosh Hashanah also marks the beginning of a ten-day period on the Jewish calendar that focuses on repentance. Jewish people mark the holiday with festive meals and prayer services, and will wish each other "l'shanah tovah", meaning a "good new year". Rosh Hashanah is not traditionally a gift-giving holiday but if you are invited to someone's home and want to bring something, sweet foods are recommended as appropriate Rosh Hashanah gifts. Sweets are thought to symbolize wishes for a sweet new year and it's for this reason that Jews will often dip apples in honey on Rosh Hashanah.

Yom Kippur

Often referred to as the 'Day of Atonement', this is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar and concludes the period of the High Holy days and the ten 'Days of Awe'. The focus of the holiday is on repentance and final atonement before God before the books of life and death are sealed. For this reason, on Yom Kippur Jews wish each other a "chatima tovah" or "good sealing". As part of this atonement adult Jews who are physically able are required to fast for the entire day (though not all Jews observe this ritual) and abstain from other forms of pleasure (such as wearing leather, washing, and wearing perfumes). Most Jewish people, even secular Jews, will attend prayer services for much of the day on Yom Kippur. At the end of Yom Kippur, Jews who have atoned consider themselves absolved of their sins from the previous year, thus beginning the new year with a clean slate in God's eyes and a renewed sense of purpose to live a more moral and just life in the year to come.

This page was last updated on 30 September 2011