Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and marks the start of the 10 days of awe, ending on Yom Kippur. It is a time for reflection, with no work allowed, and is celebrated for two days. The shofar is blown to symbolize spiritual awakening, and Tashlikh involves throwing away burdens of the past year. Traditional foods are eaten, including apples dipped in honey. The period ends with Yom Kippur, where Jews practice atonement for sins against God or others.
Rosh Hashanah is often called the Jewish New Year and is the beginning of the 10 days of awe, which end on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Rosh Hashanah is not celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, but is instead celebrated according to the Jewish calendar. The date varies, but is usually in September or October.
Rosh Hashanah is a time for Jews to reflect on the past year and to hope for good things in the year ahead. It is one of the High Holy Days and, like the Sabbath, no work is permitted. The definition of work varies according to the Jewish sect to which one belongs. For example, in some cases, the job would mean driving a car, but in other sects, you are only allowed to drive a car to the Temple.
Most sects of Judaism celebrate Rosh Hashanah for two days. On the first day, most of the morning is spent in the temple. An important event in the temple is the blowing of the shofar – a horn made from the horn of a goat. The shofar blows 100 notes during the Rosh Hashanah service.
Blowing the shofar is symbolic of a spiritual and mental awakening of people so that they can reflect spiritually on the past year. In fact, many call Rosh Hashanah the Day of Awakening or the Day of Remembrance. Like other cultures’ New Year’s celebrations, Rosh Hashanah is also a time to reflect on how to change one’s life for the better.
Towards the end of the day, Jews go into rivers or streams and throw anything into their pockets. This is called Tashlikh. If people have nothing in their pockets, they will throw breadcrumbs. This “denial” symbolizes a disconnect with the past year so that the new year has entered without burden or sin. Often the process of leaving is quite social, as many gather in the same place, giving the process a sense of community. All together they become new in the eyes of God.
Rosh Hashanah generally ends the first day with a special meal that almost always includes apples dipped in honey, symbolizing wishes for a sweet new year. Other traditional foods include challah, which is round and symbolizes the turn of the year, fish which represents prosperity and fertility, and new fruits such as the pomegranate, which represent God’s continued promise to keep the covenant.
Wonder days are a time for reflection and a time for joy that culminates with Yom Kippur. This is when Jews practice atonement for sins against God or others, and are essentially renewed in their promise to keep God’s covenant.
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