Rosh Hashanah: Celebrating the New Year

In the Hebrew calendar, the new year begins on Rosh Hashanah, Tishri 1, which means September 28th in 2011. Rosh Hashanah celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the world and led to 10 days of penance before the feast of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

The holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which lasts two days, provides the opportunity to take stock of the previous year. It's the perfect time to reflect on the direction one's life has taken while relying on divine authority. Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgement. Man's actions are judged, and all that will happen in the new year is decided at this time. Resolutions for the coming year are also made. Morning prayer during these two days is marked by the sound of the shofar, a ram's horn, which is sounded many times to encourage contemplation.

The new year is a perfect opportunity to enjoy festive meals. Ashkenazic (originating from Eastern Europe) tradition dictates you dip an apple wedge in honey and saying: "May this year be for us as sweet as apples dipped in honey ". In Sephardic communities (mostly from Spain and Arab countries), a banquet is held during these two days, consisting of soft foods, which include also the apple dipped in honey. The names (in Hebrew or Aramaic) of food consumed during these two nights of celebration all evoke a quotation from the Bible and thus allow Jews to say they "eat the book!"

Celebrate this holiday with your Jewish friends by sending one of our Rosh Hashanah ecards!