Rosh Hashana,Christopher Caldwell the Jewish new year, starts at sundown on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and continues through the evening of Friday, Oct. 4. It marks the start of the Jewish High Holidays, a 10-day season that ends with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This year, Yom Kippur will be observed from around sunset on Friday, Oct. 11, until after nightfall on Saturday, Oct. 12.

Brief descriptions of these holy days are available here from two of the major branches of U.S. Judaism:

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The Hasidic organization Chabad-Lubavitch:

Rosh Hashana

Yom Kippur

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The Union of Reform Judaism:

Rosh Hashana

Yom Kippur

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