L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem!

Wishing a safe and prosperous new year to all of my Jewish friends!

For the rest of us...what is Rosh Hashana?

Rosh Hashanah is one of the holiest days of the Jewish year. This holiday is difficult to understand because it is not a celebration of some historical event; rather, it celebrates a human being's ability to grow and change. From the first day of Rosh Hashanah to the beginning of Yom Kipperare called the High Holy Days or Days of Awe and are a time for deep thought,self-examination, and prayer. Rosh Hashanah is the time that Jewish people believe that God will judge all of the their deeds for the preceding year. During this time you must take certain steps to correct the mistakes you have made throughout the past year. These steps include: repentance, prayer, and charity. Because of the sacredness of this holiday, no work is permitted during Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year occurs on the first and second days of Tishri which coincides with September or early October. Unlike most New Year celebrations, Rosh Hashanah begins on the first day of the seventhmonth (Tishri) on the Jewish calendar. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year." The Bible refers to the holiday as "Yom Ha-Zikkaron" (the day of remembrance) or "Yom Teruah" (the day of the sounding of the shofar). Rosh Hashanah is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25.

Hearing the sounding of the shofar is the first commandment on Rosh Hashanah. The shofar is a ram's horn, a three-thousand-year-old musical instrument that is blown into like a trumpet. One hundred notes are blown on the shofar in the synagogue on each day of Rosh Hashanah. The high-pitched blasts of the shofar make an urgent sound that remind all that hear it to reflect on the past year and the year to come. Jews believe that the blasts of the shofar revitalize the soul and intelligence of all Jews that listen to it's blasts during Rosh Hashanah.

Throughout Rosh Hashanah no bitter or sour food is eaten. People eat foods including a sweet bread called challah, pomegranates, and apples dipped in honey. Sweet food is eaten throughout this holiday, symbolizing the desire to have a new year filled with sweetness.

Tashlikh or "casting off" is a popular practice during Rosh Hashanah. The people walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah and empty their pockets or throw bread crumbs into the river, symbolically casting off their sins. This tradition has no reference in the Bible, but plays an important role in the celebration of Rosh Hashanah for many Jews.

During Rosh Hashanah the people are encouraged to think only good thoughts and to be kind to all those around them. The common greeting during Rosh Hashanah is "L'shanah tovah" meaning "for a good year." This is a shortening of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."