1. Rosh Hashanah In Judaism
By Maggie Higgins
Period 5

2. Tis the Season for celebration
Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 20 and continues through nightfall on September 22.
Celebrated as the head of the Jewish New Year
Light candles in the evening
Eat festive meals
The origins of Rosh HaShanah are found in the Bible: Leviticus (23:24-25) declares: “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of rest, a memorial proclaimed with the blowing of the shofar, a holy convocation.”
- Although the Torah refers to Nisan as the first month of the Jewish year, the first day of the month of Tishrei emerged as what we now know as Rosh HaShanah.

3. Theme of the Holliday Solitude and Reflection
Read Scripture that relate to Rosh Hashanah
Much of the day is spent in the synagogue. The evening and afternoon prayers are similar to the prayers said on a regular holiday. However, the morning services are significantly longer.
The holiday prayerbook—called a machzor—contains all the prayers and Torah readings for the entire day

4. Keep it sweet
Food is very important during Rash Hashanah, we begin by reciting kiddush over wine and then say the blessing over bread.
Round, rasin challah bread dipped in honey
Apples dipped in honey
Theme of sweetness represents their hopefulness of a sweet year ahead
Fish head and Pomegranates
- The customs and symbols of Rosh HaShanah reflect the holiday's dual emphasis on both happiness and humility. Customs observed on Rosh HaShanah include the sounding of the shofar and eating special foods including round challah, which symbolizes the circle of life, and sweet foods for a sweet New Year
-The bread (traditionally baked into round challah loaves, and often sprinkled with raisins) is dipped into honey instead of salt, expressing our wish for a sweet year.
Over the centuries, Jews have commonly eaten apples, as well as challah, grapes, and other fruits dipped in honey, symbolizing their hope for sweetness in the year ahead
Many people eat parts of the head of a fish or a ram, expressing the wish that “we be a head and not a tail.”
In many communities, there are additional traditional foods eaten, each symbolizing a wish for the coming year. Many eat pomegranates, giving voice to a wish that “our merits be many like the seeds of the pomegranate.”

5. History of Rash Hashanah
Started with the Babylonians marking a “Day of Judgement” each year.
On this day they believed a convocation of their deities assembled and judged each human being inscribing their fate on the tablet of destiny.
This evolved into a belief that the one God judged every Jew on that day, inscribing the righteous in the Book of Life.
Those who were “in between” had ten days to repent before the Book of Life was sealed for the new year.
Second Century C.E.- the holiday became known as Rosh Hashanah, first appearing in the Mishnah
The legend was a powerful one, and the jews most likely borrowed elements from it in shaping Rosh Hashanah
The end of the 10 days conclude with Yom Kippur

6. Other Practices
The shofar, made from the horn of a ram, is sounded throughout the High Holiday period, beginning during the preparatory days of Elul
The shofar is mentioned throughout the Bible as a central element in ritual observance
Selichot: Hebrew word meaning “forgiveness” refers to the special penitential prayers recited by Jews throughout the High Holidays
The shofar is always curved or bent, symbolizing our humility as we stand before God and confront our actions. The celebration that ultimately evolved into Rosh HaShanah was originally called Yom T’ruah (Day of Sounding the Shofar).
The most common explanation for blowing the shofar during the Rosh HaShanah service, however, derives from the story of the Akeidah (the binding of Isaac) in Genesis 22, which they read on the same day.
Jews recite Selichot beginning late at night on the Saturday before Rosh HaShanah and again each morning on the days between the New Year and Yom Kippur. Reform congregations usually observe Selichot on the Saturday night just prior to Rosh HaShanah, a solemn and fitting preparation for 10 days of reflection and self-examination.

7. Works Cited https://reformjudaism.org/rosh-hashanah-history
How-Is-Rosh-Hashanah-Celebrated.htm