This year, Rosh Hashanah takes place from sundown on September 15th through nightfall on September 17th. Families and communities celebrate the Jewish New Year during this time, often serving symbolic foods like apples, honey, and challah. It is also a time to reflect on personal alignment, spiritual rebirth, and relationships as a new year begins. 

Celebrating holidays can be stressful for those with eating disorders. 

If you are struggling with an eating disorder or know someone who is, here are steps you can take to enjoy the holiday and have a more peaceful Rosh Hashanah.

Communicate Your Rosh Hashanah Plan

Communicate with family members or friends if you want to bring your food to the holiday celebration. Making a plan with your support network can help align everyone to make this food-focused gathering less stressful. Coming to the celebration with a plan can limit unintended triggers during prayer or meal sharing.

Incorporate Moments of Peace

Finding or making peaceful moments might look like stepping away to a bedroom or hallway to take deep breaths or asking loved ones to go on a short walk before or after the meal or prayers. 

Use the Opportunity to Reflect

A core tenet of Rosh Hashanah is self-reflection, and engaging with loved ones and religious traditions offers an excellent opportunity to continue working through recovery. The triggers that often arise around holidays are challenging, so having an understanding support system can make the situation much more manageable. If you celebrate with close friends and not at home, this is an opportunity to bring friends closer in reflection and your recovery. Communicating expectations or what traditions you will uphold is also an option.

Remember that Rosh Hashanah is only a few days out of the year and is not a defining factor of your recovery from an eating disorder. Protecting your peace and reflecting on how far you’ve come can go hand in hand on this holiday.