The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and the Department of Spiritual Care and Values Integration would like to invite you to a new speaker series starting Fall 2021. The intention of this series is to increase awareness and provide education on a selection of religious holidays and faith practices for employees, physicians and patients.
The first Spiritual Diversity Speaker series is happening Sept. 20 from Noon – 1:00 p.m.: Exploring the High Holidays of the Jewish Faith: Yom Kipper, Rash Hashana and Sukkot. Please CLICK HERE to join us.
If you would like to recommend a holiday for a future lecture, please email us at TheOfficeofDEI@houstonmethodist.org. While this series is not intended to be a comprehensive list of the faith traditions and spiritual practices of our HM family, we welcome your input.
Upcoming Jewish Holidays: Rosh Hashanah Sept. 6-8 and Yom Kippur Sept. 15-16
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is one of Judaism’s holiest days. Meaning “head of the year,” the festival begins on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Yom Kippur holiday, also known as the Day of Atonement. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the two “High Holy Days” in the Jewish religion. It is both a time of rejoicing and serious introspection, a time to celebrate the completion of another year while also taking stock of one’s life. According to tradition, it is on Yom Kippur that God decides each person’s fate. As a result, Jews consider Rosh Hashanah and the days surrounding it a time for prayer, good deeds, reflecting on past mistakes and making amends with others.
Did You Know?
Ancient Jews believed apples had healing properties, and honey signifies the hope that the new year will be sweet. Rosh Hashanah meals usually include an assortment of sweet treats for the same reason.
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