Dear Williston Community,
Greetings to one and all! On behalf of the Diversity Committee, I am pleased to share with you some of the religious traditions and cultural observances that are significant in the lives of many members in our community. September is certainly an exciting month as our new school year begins, but there are also several significant days of traditional observance and personal reflection to be aware of, so that we can learn more about ourselves and each other.
Next week, on September 17 – 18, our Jewish community members will honor the days of Rosh Hashanah. On September 26, Yom Kippur will also be observed. Together, these are considered to be the Jewish High Holy Days, or the Days of Awe. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, which falls in the month of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. Tishrei is believed to be the month in which God created the world, and Jewish people observe this time in self-examination, reflection, and repentance, or teshuvah. It is also a time of great hope and spiritual renewal, and making peace in the community. Yom Kippur falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah, and is known as the Day of Atonement. It is believed that Yom Kippur is the day when God decides the fate of each human being. The day is marked with services, prayers, fasting, forgiveness and reconciliation, and teshuvah, or repentance, in order to draw closer to one another and to God. These observances of these High Holy Days begin at sundown on September 16th and September 25th.
September 22nd marks the day known as the Autumnal Equinox (northern hemisphere), when the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night are nearly equal, about 12 hours. In Wiccan/Pagan traditions, this day is also known as Mabon, and is celebrated as a festival of the mid-harvest. Time is taken to honor the changing of the seasons, and giving thanks for the abundance of the harvest. To celebrate, observers of Mabon gather together to prepare foods that honor the hearth and the gifts of the earth. Celebrations and rituals include the telling of stories, saying prayers, giving thanks, meditations, singing songs, and honoring the blessings of the earth, while staying mindful of the significance of the balance of light and dark in our lives.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading a little about these important days ahead. Thank you for reading, and on behalf of the Diversity Committee, I wish you all a peaceful September!
-Laurel Raffetto