Rosh Hashanah

About Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah, "head of the year", opens the High Holy Days on the first of Tishri. It is a day of judgement and also of hope. In the synagogue the shofar, a ram's horn, is blown in a series of long and short blasts to wake the conscience, and special prayers speak of God as king. At home, the family dines on the festive table, dipping apple slices into honey for a sweet year, and eating round challah bread, which stands for the cycle of the year, pomegranates, and the head of a fish in some Sephardi homes. On the afternoon of the first day, many people walk to a river or sea and perform tashlich, symbolically casting away their sins. Greetings are "Shanah tovah", a good year.

Rosh Hashanah dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

What is eaten

• apples and honey
• round challah
• pomegranate
• honey cake
• tzimmes

Traditions of Rosh Hashanah

ShofarThe ram's horn blown in the synagogue.ChallahThe round loaf of the new year.High Holy DaysThe days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur.

More marked on Rosh Hashanah

🇮🇱 Jerusalem, IsraelYom Kippurיוֹם כִּפּוּר The holiest day in Judaism, dedicated to fasting, prayer and atonementSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast 🇮🇱 IsraelRosh Hashanahרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה The Jewish New Year marked by shofar horn blasts, prayer and sweet foodsSpiritual 🇩🇪 Germany and 3 moreTashlikhתשליך A Jewish new year rite of casting sins into flowing water, kept by the watersideSpiritual 🇮🇱 IsraelKiddushקידוש A blessing over wine or grape juice that marks Shabbat and festivals as holySpiritual · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies 🇨🇳 Hong Kong, China and 5 moreLunar New Year New year festivals dated by the moon, kept from East Asia to the Middle EastFestival 🇮🇱 Jerusalem, IsraelRosh Chodeshרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ The start of each Hebrew month, marked by the new moon and kept with prayerSpiritual 🇮🇱 Israel and 3 moreLeil Selichotליל הסליחות A night of penitential prayers and poems recited before the Jewish New Year to seek forgiveness.Spiritual