Celebrate Rosh Hashanah

Celebrate the Jewish New Year

Rosh Hashanah is both a joyful and serious occasion. It is associated with a creation based on a tradition from the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 10b) that the world was created in the month of Tishrei. Because of this, one of the many names of Rosh Hashanah is “Yom Harat Olam” (the birthday of the world).

At the same time, Rosh Hashanah is a day of accounting and judgment. The High Holiday liturgy states, “On Rosh Hashanah, it is written, on Yom Kippur, it is sealed…” This refers to the belief that on Rosh Hashanah, the Book of Life is opened, and on Yom Kippur, our fates are sealed for the coming year (we hope we will be inscribed in the Book of Life). This is a time when we each stand before God as the Ultimate Judge and when we are called to judge our own actions as well. That is why another name for Rosh Hashanah is “Yom Hadin,” the day of judgment.

Rosh Hashanah 2021 begins on Monday, September 6, 2021, and ends on the evening of Wednesday, September 8, 2021. The exact date of Rosh Hashanah varies every year since it is based on the Hebrew Calendar, where it begins on the first day of the seventh month. Rosh Hashanah is almost always in September or October.

Unlike modern New Year’s celebrations, which are often raucous parties, Rosh Hashanah is a subdued and contemplative holiday. Because Jewish texts differ on the festival’s length, Rosh Hashanah is observed for a single day by some denominations and for two days by others. Work is prohibited, and religious Jews spend much of the holiday attending synagogue. Because the High Holy Day prayer services include distinct liturgical texts, songs, and customs, rabbis and their congregations read from a special prayer book known as the machzor during both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

The sounding of the shofar—a trumpet made from a ram’s horn—is an essential and emblematic part of both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The ancient instrument’s plaintive cry serves as a call to repentance and a reminder to Jews that God is their king. Tradition requires the shofar blower to play four sets of notes on Rosh Hashanah: tekiah, a long blast; shevarim, three short blasts; teruah, nine staccato blasts; and tekiah gedolah, a very long blast. Because of this ritual’s close association with Rosh Hashanah, the holiday is also known as Yom Teruah—the day of the sounding of the shofar.

After religious services are over, many Jews return home for a festive meal steeped in symbolism and tradition. Some choose to wear new or special clothing and to adorn their tables with fine linens and place settings in recognition of Rosh Hashanah’s significance. The meal typically begins with the ceremonial lighting of two candles and features foods that represent positive wishes for the new year.

Traditional Rosh Hashanah celebration

Apples and honey: Jews traditionally dip apples in honey on Rosh Hashanah to express the wish for a sweet new year.
New fruit: It is customary to eat a new, seasonal fruit that hasn’t been tested since the previous year to symbolize the new year.
Round challah: Instead of braided challah, a round challah is served on Rosh Hashanah, symbolizing the circular nature of the year.
Brisket, chicken, tzimmes, kugel: These traditional Jewish foods are frequently served at Rosh Hashanah meals in Ashkenazi Jewish homes.
Chicken, lamb, dried fruits, rice, couscous, sweet potato, pumpkin, or leek patties: These foods are frequently on the Rosh Hashanah menu in Sephardic Jewish homes.

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