High Holidays Resource Page

While non-Jewish spouses are often eager to celebrate Passover and Hanukkah, they're frequently less enthusiastic about fasting for 24 hours or taking off work to go to temple. How do you and your partner negotiate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the most synagogue-centric holidays on the Jewish calendar? Read InterfaithFamily.com's articles, resources and links for ways to make the High Holidays more inclusive.

Helpful Documents on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

• Guide to the High Holidays for Interfaith Families (PDF) (Also available in Word format)
• Six Tips for Interfaith Families Facing the High Holidays
• High Holidays in Interfaith Families: Three Essays from InterfaithFamily.com, with Discussion Guide, Tips, Recommended Resources and Activities for Children (also available in PDF format)

Recommended Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Articles

• Interfaith Families and the High Holidays: Tips on Preventing Marital Tension by Roberta Calderone
• Getting Comfortable With the High Holidays by Nina Amir
• Understanding the High Holy Days: A Primer for Non-Jewish Partners by Rabbi Jonathan Kraus
• Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the Non-Jewish Partner by Andrea King
• Creating a Rosh Hashanah Dinner Tradition  by Jayne Cohen
• Recipes for a Happy Jewish New Year by Sheilah Kaufman

For many more helpful Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur articles, click on this link to access our archive:

• Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Discussion Board

• Other Holidays 

Additional Resources on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Websites

Visit our partner MyJewishLearning.com for more information on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur:

• The Jewish New Year
• Renewing Ourselves and Our Visions
• The Jewish View of Sin
• Why Fast?

Books

• Friedland, Ronnie and Case, Edmund, ed. The Guide to Jewish Interfaith Family Life: An InterfaithFamily.com Handbook. Jewish Lights, 2001. Read a review.
• Strassfeld, Michael. The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commentary. HarperCollins, 1985. In addition to in-depth discussion of each holiday, this book includes commentaries, ideas for family holiday involvement, and suggestions for new traditions.
• Cox, Harvey. Common Prayers: Faith, Family, and a Christian's Journey Through the Jewish Year. Mariner Books, 2002. Read our review.

If you know of other Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur resources--or if you'd like to see additional resources on a particular aspect of Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur --please email us at network@interfaithfamily.com and let us know what you'd like us to provide.