September 4th, 2025
September 2025 Days of Significance
Dear EAFWR Community,
With September comes the beginning of fall, and Days of Significance that bring renewal, celebration, reflection and remembrance. This month, we highlight Rosh Hashanah, Durga Puja and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Rosh Hashanah – September 22 – 24
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, celebrating the anniversary of the world’s creation and humanity’s relationship with God. It is a time for prayer, self-reflection, and repentance, marking the beginning of the “Days of Awe” which conclude with Yom Kippur.
Key traditions include blowing the shofar (ram’s horn), eating symbolic foods like apples and honey for a sweet year, and attending synagogue services where Jews reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the next.
Resources:
Events:
- Rosh Hashanah Fair for Kids | Sept 14
- Celebrate Rosh Hashanah at Kitchener Public Library (Central Branch) | Sept. 27
- Rosh Hashanah Services at The Rohr Chabad Centre for Jewish Life | Sept. 22-24
- Rosh Hashanah Israeli-Style Potluck | Sept 21
Durga Puja – September 26 – 28
Durga Puja is an annual festival celebrated in September or October, most notably in Kolkata, in West Bengal of India, but also in other parts of India and amongst the Bengali diaspora. It marks the ten-day worship of the Hindu mother-goddess Durga. Held in the autumn month of Ashvina, it involves worship, community feasting, and cultural events.
Resources:
- Durga Puja in Kolkata – UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Durga Puja | Festival, Mythology, Traditions, & Facts | Britannica
Events:
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – September 30
Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
Stay tuned later this month as we share more about the importance of this day, community events, and steps that we are taking as an organization to learn, unlearn, acknowledge and take action.
Resources:
Events:
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2025 | Office of Indigenous Relations | University of Waterloo
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2025 | Anishnabeg Outreach
Together, these observances remind us of the importance of renewal, strength, and collective healing as we move through the month of September.
As always, keep an eye on our Events Calendar and social media channels for upcoming events in Waterloo Region for these days of significance!
