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September 16, 2023 in the World Two shofars, symbol of the Rosh Hashanah holiday. Copyright: Michaela Pschorr, license: Fotolia.com The two days Jewish New Year’s feast Rosh Hashanah, which means “head of the year” in English, is observed from 16. September until 01. September 2023 and is always celebrated 163 days after Passover. According to the Jewish calendar that would be the 1st and 2nd of Tishrei. Besides a New Year’s feast, Rosh Hashanah is also the Feast of Trumpets. It is the only Jewish feast that is also in Israel celebrated for two days. Several customs for the celebration in the synagogue and at home exist. The symbolic color of Rosh Hashanah is white. There is no unity among the Jews about the celebration of Rosh Hashanah. While orthodox and conservative Jews observe both days of the feast, Reform Jews only recognize the first day. The Samaritans celebrate Yom Teruah, their Rosh Hashanah, in spring, as it is obliged due to the Torah and the Talmud. The New Year’s feast - no matter on what date - is a reminder for the special relationship between the Israeli people and God. The Modern Hebrew New Year’s congratulation is “Shanah Tovah!” (“Happy New Year!”) The most important custom about Rosh Hashanah is the Shofar Blowing. The shofar is a ram’s horn and the sound of its blowing is an exhortation to behave pious and morally exemplary. The believers vindicate themselves on New Year’s Day for their deeds of the passing year and renew their bound with God for the New Year. Due to the Jewish believe He is sitting on a throne, having a huge book of live with all the good and bad deeds of all people noted. Positive notes can seal people to life, bad ones to death. Rosh Hashanah is a feast of joy and obeisance towards God. After the morning service in the synagogue there will be a huge and rich meal at home. First they wash their hands, and then they dip an apple into honey and eat it. That is symbol for “sweetness”, meaning the good times of a year. Additionally pomegranate seeds and white bread is consumed. The latter is a symbol for the circle of a year and is also dipped into honey. Sweet goes along with that, another symbol for joy. The eating of a fish or sheep’s head is supposed to show that the believer is able to control himself. Where is Rosh Hashanah? Worldwide World When is Rosh Hashanah? Saturday, the 16th of September 2023 Only 309 days left! More dates:
Rosh Hashanah is a religious and festive time when family and friends gather together for meals and worship and grow closer to God. It’s a time for looking forward to a new year with anticipation and reflecting on the past year to improve ourselves for the next. This two-day Jewish celebration of the New Year literally translates to “head of
the year” in Hebrew. It is observed on the first and second days of the Jewish month of Tishrei, the first month in the civil calendar. In 2023, it will begin on the evening of Friday, September 15, and end at sundown on Sunday, September 17. Yom Teruah is the biblical name for this holy day. Teruah means a massive shout by a crowd or the blowing of a horn. Its origin can be traced back to the Old Testament book of Numbers, in the Bible. The children of Israel were commanded by the Lord to make this observance:
Traditions of Rosh HashanahCandle-LightingIt is customary for the women or girls to light candles in the home to usher in the holiday, and on each evening throughout Rosh Hashanah. Blessings are recited when the candles are lit. Check out more on lighting the candles and reciting blessings. Blessings & PrayersIn addition to the blessings spoken during the lighting of candles each evening, other blessings called Kiddush (meaning sanctification) are recited before the meal. A blessing is spoken over the wine, and another blessing is recited over the bread. Festive Meals with Symbolic FoodsChallah bread is always fashioned into a round loaf for Rosh Hashanah and served with honey. The circle symbolizes the seasons and cycle of life.
Eating sliced apples dipped in honey is another Rosh Hashanah tradition. Honey symbolizes the desire to have a sweet, enjoyable, and bountiful year. No bitter, sour or tart foods like horseradish or vinegar at this holiday meal. Pomegranate is another customary food on the Rosh Hashanah table. The vast number of seeds in this fruit represents the desire for a productive and abundant life. Attend Synagogue Services—Gathering together in a synagogue for prayer services is an important part of Rosh Hashanah. Special prayers for this holy service and readings from the Torah are read from the Machzor prayer book. Some synagogues will live stream their services this Rosh Hashanah for those unable to attend. Listen to a Shofar—The shofar is a trumpet typically made from a hollowed-out ram’s horn. In ancient biblical times, the shofar was blown during temple worship and in battle, such as in the battle of Jericho (Joshua, Chapter 6). The sounding of the shofar today remains a key element of the Rosh Hashanah synagogue service. For the hearer, it is a demonstration of his obedience to God’s commandment. According to Rabbi Saadia Gaon, hearing the sound of the shofar stirs excitement within us, reminding the listener that God is King of the world, awakening slumbering souls that have grown complacent. Casting Bread Crumbs on Water — This custom is known as the Tashlich ceremony. It involves going to a natural, outdoor water source, (river, creek, lake, pond, or ocean) and throwing bread crumbs on the water. This act symbolizes casting away the things you’ve done wrong. A prayer for this ceremony is found in the Machzor prayer book. Self-Reflection — Rosh Hashanah encourages self-examination of the past year to see where you’ve “missed the mark.” Evaluate the personal aspects of your life, the negative and positive to decide what you should do differently in the future, how you can improve, and “hit the mark” in the new year. 10 Days of AweThe 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Yippur are significant days known as the “10 Days of Awe” or the “10 Days of Repentance.” During this time, further introspection takes place. Other positive ways to use this time for spiritual enrichment is to pray, perform charitable deeds, acts of loving kindness, seek forgiveness, and reconciliation with others. It is said that one’s actions between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Yippur can change God’s judgments toward us into blessings. Ready to celebrate Rosh Hashanah? Learn to say “Happy New Year” in Hebrew!
Keep LearningLearn about Yom Kippur. Make a Traditional Jewish Apple Cake. Join The Discussion!What are some special ways that your family celebrates Rosh Hashanah? Let us know in the comments below! What are the dates for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur 2022?When Does Yom Kippur Take Place? Yom Kippur takes place on the final day of the 10 Days of Awe, which begins with Rosh Hashanah. This year, Yom Kippur begins at sunset on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 and ends at sunset on Wednesday, October 5, 2022.
What date is the Feast of Trumpets 2023?In 2023, it will begin on the evening of Friday, September 15, and end at sundown on Sunday, September 17. Yom Teruah is the biblical name for this holy day. Teruah means a massive shout by a crowd or the blowing of a horn. Its origin can be traced back to the Old Testament book of Numbers, in the Bible.
Is Rosh Hashanah the same date every year?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.
Why Rosh Hashanah is 2 days?Duration and timing
Since the time of the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 70 CE and the time of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, normative Jewish law appears to be that Rosh Hashanah is to be celebrated for two days, because of the difficulty of determining the date of the new moon.
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