High Holidays at Waterloo Chabad

The Record

Nicole Foigel grew up immersed in her Jewish faith.

The teen went to Jewish elementary and high school, and lived in a Jewish community in North York with a synagogue just down the street from her home.

Now, Foigel, a first-year student at Wilfrid Laurier University, is living in Waterloo, a community where the Jewish population is growing, but still small.

“All my life I went to Jewish school, so now I wanted to break out and meet new people but I wanted to connect with people like me,’’ she said.

Before moving to the region, Foigel knew about the Jewish Centre, known as Chabad House, in Waterloo through Facebook.

This week, Foigel, along with other first-year and returning students, came together for a barbecue at Chabad House to welcome them to Waterloo. The event was also a reminder to students that Chabad is their home away from home during the Jewish High Holidays — which began last week.

The 10-day High Holiday period begins with Rosh Hashanah, which was held on Wednesday, and ends with Yom Kippur on Friday, Sept. 17.

Rosh Hashanah is also the Jewish New Year in the Hebrew calendar. Historically, Rosh Hashanah represents the creation of the world and the creation of man.

The day is characterized by the blowing of the shofar, a trumpet made of a ram’s horn to symbolically alert listeners to the period of judgment.

Judaism teaches that God inscribes the fate of people in a Book of Life. For the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah, and during the following 10 days, Jews seek repentance.

The holidays culminate with Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement. It’s considered the holiest day of the year.

Foigel will return home for Yom Kippur but attended services at Chabad House for Rosh Hashanah.

“It’s my home away from home,’’ she said. “We can come together and celebrate what is important to us.’’

Services will also be held at Chabad House. Although many university students return home for some or part of the High Holidays, others remain and come to Chabad.

Rabbi Moshe Goldman, a Lubavitcher rabbi at Chabad House, came to Waterloo two years ago with his family from Brooklyn in New York.

Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis establish Jewish centres all over the world.

In July, the Goldmans moved into their new home in the Chabad House on Albert Street in Waterloo. In the 5,000-square-foot house, religious services will be held, classes taught and programs run for local Jews. On Friday night, Shabbat dinners will be held.