Everyday Faith: Judaism and High Holy Days
Join us for a Living Library about the High Holidays
This month, Jewish colleagues, friends, and neighbors are entering a season of profound meaning, ritual, and observance. In Judaism, the High Holy Days, or Days of Awe, consist of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year, taking place this year on September 22-24) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, October 1-2, 2025). This interactive session will enable you to learn from and engage with dynamic teachers, who will share Jewish traditions, wisdom, and inspiration for this season that reverberate throughout the year and our life experiences.
Three Rabbis. Three Perspectives. One Shared Journey
Join us to learn and reflect on these traditions with rabbis from different Jewish perspectives who will share insights, traditions, and personal approaches to the High Holidays.
- Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter, Rabbanit at South Philadelphia Shtiebel
- Rabbi Seth Haaz, Senior Rabbi at Har Zion Temple
- Rabbi Beth Janus, Co-president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia
Facilitator: Rev. Edward Livingston, Director of Community Partnerships
About Everyday Faith
Everyday Faith is an interactive workshop series designed to help you build a more generous, practical understanding of the diverse ways people live and practice their faith — or no faith at all — every single day.
In a world that often pushes us toward quick judgments and polarization, Everyday Faith invites you to slow down, get curious, and engage with the complex ways religion, spirituality, and worldview shape our daily lives.
You’ll explore how faith, spirituality, and worldviews influence aspects of life such as:
- Life cycle events — from births and weddings to funerals
- Holiday celebrations — and how people observe them differently
- Food and clothing practices — understanding religious and cultural significance
Through these insights, you’ll gain practical tools to better understand and respectfully engage with people of diverse religious, spiritual, and secular identities.
Why Religious Literacy Matters
Understanding religion and worldview diversity is more important than ever — especially in workplaces, schools, and civic life. Religious literacy helps us challenge assumptions, break down stereotypes, and build meaningful relationships across lines of difference. Everyday Faith gives you the skills, confidence, and personal insight to navigate a diverse world with empathy and respect.
The Living Library: Real People, Real Understanding
A signature feature of the Everyday Faith experience is the Living Library — a unique opportunity to engage directly with individuals from a variety of faiths, spiritual paths, and worldviews. Just like checking out a book, you’ll “check out” a person and have a one-on-one or small group conversation where you can ask questions, hear personal stories, and explore perspectives that might be unfamiliar to you.
