High Holy Days

The High Holidays or High Holy Days, in Judaism, more properly known as the Yamim Noraim (Hebrew: ימים נוראים‎ "Days of Awe"), may mean:

Etymology

The term High Holy Days most probably derives from the popular English phrase, “high days and holydays”. The Hebrew equivalent, "Yamim Noraim" (Hebrew: ימים נוראים‎), is neither Biblical nor Talmudic. Professor Ismar Elbogen, author of “Jewish Liturgy in its Historical Development”, avers that it was a medieval usage, reflecting a change in the mood of Rosh Hashanah from a predominantly joyous celebration to a more subdued day that was a response to a period of persecution.

Achy Obejas

Achy Obejas (born June 28, 1956) is a Cuban-American writer and journalist focused on personal and national identity issues, living in Oakland, California. She frequently writes on her sexuality and nationality, and has received numerous awards for her creative work. She worked as a journalist in Chicago for over two decades, and is currently the Distinguished Visiting Writer at Mills College in Oakland, California, where she teaches creative writing.

Personal life

Obejas was born June 28, 1956, in Havana, Cuba. After emigrating to the United States at the age of six, she lived in Michigan City, Indiana, and attended Indiana University from 1977 to 1979, when she moved to Chicago.

Nationality

At the age of 39, Obejas revisited Cuba. Reflections on her home country are dispersed throughout her work, such as in the story collection We Came All the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This? Although she has lived in the Midwest since childhood, Obejas says her Cuban origins continue to be a defining detail in her life. In an interview with Gregg Shapiro, Obejas discussed the peculiar duality of growing up in the U.S. but not truly identifying as an American: