Last Friday, Professor Jamie Horwitz excused herself from the architecture department’s awards presentation.

While most calendars list Rosh Hashana as last Saturday, the holiday began Friday night at sunset, and Horwitz was one of many in the ISU community who celebrated the 10-day holiday known as the Days of Awe.

Horwitz, associate professor of architecture, said the night before Rosh Hashana is one of the most important parts of the holiday.

Last year, President Gregory Geoffroy’s inauguration conflicted with the holiday, which meant Horwitz was unable to attend the ceremony.

“I was sorry it was on that day,” Horwitz said.

Though the holidays force her to miss many secular events, she doesn’t mind. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she said.

People of Jewish faith are a minority in Iowa, Horwitz said. She lived in New York for a period of time, and on all of the Jewish holidays, some parking ordinances were not in effect. To get that kind of a response to a religious holiday, you have to be a majority, she said.

The Days of Awe focus on repenting sins and trying to reconcile any wrongs during the course of the past year. Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year.

Similar to the conventional New Year, there are resolutions that go with the holiday. But unlike the Jewish holiday, the resolutions are the focus of the holiday.

Horwitz describes the Days of Awe as “a period of reflection, ask for forgiveness, but not just pray.”

A big part of it is asking for the forgiveness of other people. “Kiss goodbye the things you’ve been holding against people,” she said. “It’s important to how you live your everyday life.”

Sept. 16 is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, which is the holiest of the holidays, Horwitz said. It is a day reserved for fasting and worship.

“It has powerful qualities that make it different than lighting candles and giving presents,” she said.

No work is to be done, including going to classes.

“I do not plan on going to class on Yom Kippur, nor have I talked to any of my teachers yet,” said Jonathan Gritz, sophomore in construction engineering and president of Hillel, Iowa State’s Jewish Student Organization.

Generally he has not been penalized for missing class because of his faith. “Though last year, there was a quiz that I would have gotten a zero on,” he said.

Gritz said he plans on going to the Beth El Jacob synagogue in Des Moines to attend services.

Those that don’t travel to Des Moines can worship at the Ames Jewish Congregation, 3721 Calhoun Ave.

Regardless of where Jews attend the service, the basic elements remain the same.

There is no direct narrative or story that relates to the holiday, Horwitz said.

At the service, Kol nidre, the traditional prayer, is neither sung nor spoken. Horwitz describes it as kind of a hypnotic, mournful chant.

“It’s a very powerful thing,” she said. “Every Jew around the world is singing that song.”