For NCAA gymnasts, the fall means that preseason training is off and running, official visits are starting, and season is rapidly approaching. But for Jewish gymnasts, the fall also signals the approach of the High Holidays, the most important days of the Jewish calendar. This year, Rosh Hashanah (the new year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) fall on October 3 and 12 respectively, right in the middle of a particularly busy time of year.
For any Jewish student, it can be challenging to balance the High Holidays with college life. But for college gymnasts, like Maryland gymnasts Shani Sirota and Lauren Brendlinger, these holidays are added on top of particularly packed schedules. “I normally have class in the morning, practice starts at 12:30 and goes to 4:00,” Shirota said. Brendlinger described her weekdays as “pretty packed,” and official visits keep the whole team busy on weekends.
Both Sirota and Brendlinger grew up in Jewish homes, observing Jewish holidays and attending synagogue. Like many Jewish students, their observance evolved in college, as they adapted to the challenges that the intense rituals of the High Holidays pose. Many Jews attend synagogue for the whole day, and Jews around the world fast for 25 hours on Yom Kippur. “It’s hard to work around things because these holidays entail having to do things that kind of contradict things that your body needs to do as a student-athlete,” Brendlinger explained. “It’s hard to manage that with the lack of free time that you have.”
However, with careful scheduling, hard work, and a little flexibility, observing the holidays is possible. “For the holidays I go to Hillel,” Sirota said, referencing the organization for Jewish life on campus. “If I could go home, I would go home, but I can’t because we’re in preseason.” To keep on top of both religious observance and the intense preseason schedule, Sirota added, “I try to go [to services] after practice or at night, whenever I can if there’s no practice.” Brendlinger’s family lives close to the University of Maryland, so she makes a point of going home for Rosh Hashanah dinner. “I don’t necessarily have the time or access to go to services in person,” she said. However, she seeks out online resources, such as Torah portions and recordings of services. High Holiday services include unique liturgy underscoring the holiness of the ten-day period stretching from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. Thematically relevant Torah portions are chanted and studied as a part of the holiday observance.
Although High Holidays can be stressful, they also present opportunities for cultural connection. For Sirota, holidays are a great way to connect with her team. “Most of the team is not Jewish,” she explained. “But it’s a great way for us to connect on a certain level. We talk about faith, I teach them things they didn’t know and they teach me things that I didn’t know.”
The Maryland gymnastics program also tries to make sure the whole team is aware of and involved in High Holiday ritual. “One of my coaches brought me and Shani apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah last year,” recalled Brendlinger. On Rosh Hashanah, many Jews eat apples dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet new year.
The supportive nature of the Maryland coaches and program has been key to Sirota and Brendlinger’s experience. “The coaches are really understanding,” Sirota said. Brendlinger agreed, “The coaches here are super supportive, and they’ve worked with me and been very flexible with me, more so than I thought would happen.”
This flexibility has allowed Brendlinger to deepen her connection with her faith. “I haven’t been the most religious throughout my life, but in the past couple months, I’ve tried to get more into it,” she shared. Last year, she didn’t fast for Yom Kippur last year due to practice, but this year she’s spoken to her coaches and her duties have been adapted to make sure she can observe the holiday to the degree that she wants to.
Along with the practical challenges of High Holiday observance, Jewish students can sometimes find themselves stressed or uneasy due to antisemitism and the experience of being a minority group on campus. “It’s a scary world right now,” said Sirota bluntly. Brendlinger stressed the importance of finding a positive environment. “If you’re a Jewish student-athlete looking to go to college, I think finding a family of teammates and coaches that is willing to support you through that is very important,” she explained. This approach certainly benefited her. “With everything that’s going on in the world right now, I had some concerns,” she said. “But at Maryland, that has not matched reality.”
Although the High Holidays can be tough, especially when added to a grueling preseason, observing them is deeply important to Jewish student-athletes. They are an expression of faith, of heritage, and of pride. “I have deep love for being a Jew,” Sirota said. “I make sure I observe these holidays, even though I’m away from home.”
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Article by Naomi Stephenson
