How to Be an Ally During the Jewish High Holidays: A Complete Workplace and School Guide

Want to support your Jewish colleagues, friends, students, and community members during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? Use this guide to get started.

The Jewish High Holidays, also known as the High Holy Days or Days of Awe, represent the most sacred period in the Jewish calendar. As workplaces and schools become increasingly diverse, understanding how to be a supportive ally during this meaningful time demonstrates respect, inclusivity, and cultural awareness. This guide will help you navigate the High Holidays with sensitivity and create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

What Holidays Are Part of the Jewish High Holidays?

Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year

Rosh Hashanah, literally meaning "head of the year," marks the beginning of the Jewish calendar year. This two-day celebration (beginning this year on the evening of September 22, 2025 and ending the evening of September 24, 2025) is a time of reflection, renewal, and looking forward to the year ahead. Many Jews refrain from working or going to school, particularly on the first day. Jewish tradition teaches that during Rosh Hashanah, God inscribes each person's fate for the coming year in the "Book of Life."

Key traditions include:

• Attending synagogue services
• Blowing the shofar (ram's horn)
• Eating symbolic foods like apples and honey (for a sweet new year)
• Round challah bread (symbolizing the cycle of the year)
• Pomegranates and other festive foods

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur, occurring ten days after Rosh Hashanah, is the holiest day in Judaism and many Jews will take the day off work and school. It's a 25-hour period of fasting, prayer, and repentance when Jewish people seek forgiveness for their sins and commit to personal growth. In 2025, Yom Kippur begins the evening of October 1, 2025 and ends the evening of October 2, 2025. The day concludes the ten days of repentance and reflection that began with Rosh Hashanah. 

Key observances include:

• Complete fasting (no food or drink)
• Extended prayer services at synagogue
• Reflection and seeking forgiveness
• Acts of charity and kindness
• Wearing white clothing (symbolizing purity)

Sukkot

Following closely after Yom Kippur, Sukkot is a joyful seven-day harvest festival that commemorates the Israelites' journey through the desert. This year, Sukkot begins the evening of October 6, 2025 and ends the evening of October 13, 2025. Many Jewish families build temporary outdoor structures called "sukkot" (huts) where they eat meals and sometimes sleep during the holiday. Depending on their level of observance, some Jews do not work or go to school on the first two and last two days of Sukkot. 

Key traditions include:

• Building and decorating a sukkah (temporary outdoor dwelling)
• Eating meals in the sukkah when weather permits
• Shaking the lulav and etrog (four species of plants)
• Welcoming guests and sharing meals with community
• Celebrating the harvest and expressing gratitude

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

The festival period concludes with Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (October 13-15, 2025). For some Jews, these celebrations are no-work and school days, and mark the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle and the immediate beginning of a new cycle.

Key observances include:

• Joyful dancing and singing with Torah scrolls
• Completing and restarting the annual Torah reading
• Special prayers for rain and the coming year
• Community celebrations and festivities

Anniversary of October 7

While it is not traditionally a part of the High Holidays, October 7, 2023 was an incredibly painful day for many Jews around the world. While so many have been struggling to navigate the complex emotions and events that have occurred since then, be sure to make space and provide flexibility and understanding for your Jewish colleagues and students as they sit with the heaviness of the day. 

Essential Ways to Be an Ally During the High Holidays

1. Respect Time Off and Avoid Scheduling Conflicts

Do:

• Avoid scheduling important meetings, deadlines, events, or exams on the holidays
• Be flexible with work and school arrangements and deadlines
• Recognize that some employees and students may need additional time off for travel or preparation
• Understand that evening services may begin before sundown the day before

Don't:

• Pressure Jewish colleagues and students to attend meetings and classes on these days
• Schedule major exams, assignments, product launches, client presentations, or critical deadlines
• Assume that because someone isn't "visibly Jewish," they don't observe these holidays

2. Learn the Appropriate Greetings

Using proper greetings shows cultural awareness and respect. Here are the most common High Holiday greetings:

For Rosh Hashanah:

• "Shanah Tovah" (shah-NAH toe-VAH) - "Good year"
• "L'shanah tovah u'metukah" - "For a good and sweet year"
• "Happy New Year" is also perfectly appropriate

For Yom Kippur:

• "G'mar chatimah tovah" (g'-MAR khah-tee-MAH toe-VAH) - "May you be sealed for good"
• "Have an easy fast" (for those you know are fasting)
• "Wishing you a meaningful Yom Kippur"

General High Holiday greeting:

• "Wishing you a happy and healthy new year"

3. Show Interest and Ask Respectful Questions

Demonstrating genuine curiosity about Jewish traditions shows that you care about your colleagues' and students' experiences:

Good questions to ask:

• "How do you typically celebrate Rosh Hashanah?"
• "What does this time of year mean to you?"
• "Is there anything I should know to be supportive during this time?"

Avoid:

• Making assumptions about level of observance
• Asking overly personal questions about religious beliefs
• Comparing Jewish holidays to other religious celebrations in ways that minimize their significance

Creating an Inclusive Workplace and School Environment

For Managers and HR Professionals

Policy Considerations:

• Include Jewish holidays in your diversity calendar
• Ensure holiday policies accommodate religious observances
• Provide guidance to teams about scheduling around religious holidays
• Consider offering floating holidays or personal days for religious observances

Inclusion Strategies:

• Send company-wide reminders about upcoming Jewish holidays
• Include High Holiday information in diversity and inclusion training
• Share educational resources with your team
• Acknowledge the holidays in internal communications

For Teachers and School Leaders

Policy Considerations:

• Include Jewish holidays in your diversity calendar
• Provide guidance to teachers about scheduling around religious holidays
• Avoid rewarding students for attendance without accommodating for religious holidays

Inclusion Strategies:

• Incorporate stories, activities, and learning opportunities about the holidays into your lesson plans
• Invite parents and/or students to share and present on their culture and traditions with their classmates
• Share educational resources with your colleagues and students

For Colleagues and Teammates

Supportive Actions:

• Offer to cover responsibilities for Jewish colleagues taking time off
• Respect that some team members may be less available for events during this period
• Include High Holiday considerations when planning quarterly goals or project timelines
• Learn about the significance of these days to better understand your colleagues' experiences

Common Misconceptions to Avoid

Myth: "Jewish holidays always fall on the same dates every year." Reality: Jewish holidays follow the Hebrew lunar calendar, so dates vary each year on the Gregorian calendar.

Myth: "If someone doesn't look Jewish or typically observe any other Jewish holidays, they don't observe the High Holidays." Reality: Jewish identity is diverse and includes people of all backgrounds and ethnicities, and religious observance is incredibly personal. Many Jews may not do anything outwardly Jewish the rest of the year, but they will celebrate the High Holidays.

Myth: "These holidays are just like any other religious celebration." Reality: The High Holidays hold unique significance as the most sacred period in Judaism, combining celebration with deep spiritual reflection.

Myth: "If someone is off for one holiday, then they will be off for all of them." Reality: Again, religious observation is incredibly personal. As Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year, many Jews will take off work and school only for Yom Kippur, but not for the other holidays. Some may only take off for a few hours. If you have two Jewish colleagues or students, they may each observe the holidays differently. 

Building Long-Term Allyship

Being an ally during the Jewish High Holidays is just one aspect of supporting Jewish colleagues and community members year-round. Consider these ongoing actions:

• Learn about other Jewish holidays and observances
• Support Jewish-owned businesses and organizations
• Stand against antisemitism in all its forms
• Include Jewish voices in diversity and inclusion initiatives
• Continue educating yourself about Jewish history and culture

Conclusion: The Impact of Thoughtful Allyship

Supporting your Jewish colleagues, friends, and community members during the High Holidays creates a more inclusive environment for everyone. When we take time to understand and respect each other's traditions, we build stronger relationships and more cohesive communities.

The Jewish High Holidays offer an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the past year, consider our actions, and commit to being better versions of ourselves. By being thoughtful allies during this sacred time, we demonstrate that diversity isn't just tolerated but celebrated and valued.

Remember, being an ally is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Small gestures of respect and understanding during the High Holidays can have a lasting impact on your relationships and contribute to a more inclusive society for all.