August 27th, 2026
September 2026 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, Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Rosh Hashanah – September 11 – 13
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:
- Rosh Hashanah – The Jewish New Year (Chabad.org)
- Rosh Hashana – Brittanica
- Rosh Hashanah
- All about Rosh Hashanah
🎟️ Events:
- Rosh Hashana Services at The Rohr Chabad Centre for Jewish life
- Find Selichot Services for Rosh Hashanah in-person or online
Mid-Autumn Festival – September 26
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a harvest festival celebrated in Chinese culture and is one of the most important holidays. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar with a full moon at night, corresponding to mid-September to early October of the Gregorian calendar. On this day, the Chinese believe that the moon is at its fullest and brightest, coinciding with the time of harvest in the middle of autumn. Celebrations include lighting lanterns and eating mooncakes.
📚 Resources:
- About the Mid Autumn Festival
- The Mid Autumn Festival Story
- 8 Things You Need to Know About the Mid Autumn Festival
🎟️ Events:
- Melodies of the Dream (II) 2026 – The Registry Theatre
- Mid Autumn Festival Celebration 滑铁卢市公共图书馆中秋嘉年华 – Waterloo Public Library
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:
- National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
- Policy Matters the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
- Significance of National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
- First Nations/Indigenous – The Real Xchange
🎟️ Events:
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Office of Indigenous Relations | University of Waterloo
- Gidinawendamin/Ska’nikú•lát 23rd Annual Pow Wow | Office of Indigenous Relations | University of Waterloo
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Concert: Rebecca Hass | Sept 25 (London)
- National Day for Truth And Reconciliation at Woodland Cultural Centre | Sept 30 (Brantford)
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 social media channels for upcoming events in Waterloo Region for these days of significance!
- Filed under Blog