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Rosh Hashanah begins today
Mort and Betty's spread for Rosh Hashanah
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Topline:
Today marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year festival which begins at sundown and ends at sundown on Friday, Oct. 4. It also marks the beginning of the High Holy days leading up to Yom Kippur on Friday, Oct. 11.
A holiday for reflection: As a marker of the new year, Rosh Hashanah is a holiday meant for reflection on the past 365 days, as well as a time to focus on goals for the coming year. The holiday leads to Yom Kippur, the holiest Jewish holiday, which is a time for observers to consider their sins and wrongdoings of the previous year.
The history: Rosh Hashanah is the only Jewish holiday that is two days long. It’s sometimes referred to as “yoma arichta”or “a long day” because the 48 hours could be considered one long extended day. Some Jewish communities blow a traditional “Shofar,” a curved ram’s horn to signify a turn inward to fix yourself ahead of the new year.
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How it’s celebrated: Rosh Hashanah translates from Hebrew to mean the “head” of the year. Celebrations include family gatherings, special foods, and prayers. Special foods include apples and honey as a symbol of hope for the new year, Challah bread with its round shape symbolizing continuity, and pomegranate seeds to symbolize fertility and abundance.
Go deeper: Rosh Hashanah traditions — how the holiday table evolves
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