It’s acting Rabbi Steve Grossman’s hope that when the Jewish community comes together to celebrate High Holy Days, several people from the general public will be standing alongside them.

High Holy Days is a 10-day period of prayer, self-examination and repentance that begins Sept. 25 with Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish new year, and concludes Oct. 4 with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

“According to tradition, this is the period in which God decides our fate for the coming year,” Grossman said. “It is a time when Jewish people, individually and as a community, are expected to ponder our actions over the past year and be prepared to ask for forgiveness.”

One the ceremonial practices associated with Rosh HaShanah services is for participants to wish each other a good and sweet year while consuming bread and honey or apple and honey. Yom Kippur calls for a 24-hour fast, in which participants do not eat for a full day, but instead dedicate the day to prayer.

Because forgiving others is a key part of the High Holy Days, the Jewish community is encouraged to contact those they have wronged to apologize.

“According to tradition, if we are not atoning for our sins from our fellow men and women, then it doesn’t matter what we ask for God for forgiveness from,” Grossman said.

Held at Temple Mishkan Israel, Rosh HaShanah will be held Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m., followed by another service Thursday, Sept. 25 at 10 a.m.

“Ever since I’ve been here and leading the service, the community comes out and shows its support during the evening of Rosh HaShannah,” he said. “That is extremely important to me and the Jewish community to see the people coming in and showing their support.”

Also conducted at the temple, Yom Kippur service will be Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m., followed by another service Saturday, Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. There will be an additional Oct. 4 Yom Kippur service at Seymour and June Cohn’s home, 823 Houston Park in Selma, at 4 p.m.