What is Rosh Hashanah?

Jewish New Year is the most important and widely celebrated of all Jewish holidays. The origin of Jewish New Year can be traced to the Old Testament, and Jewish people have been celebrating it for thousands of years. Rosh Hashanah, which is celebrated the first and second days of Tishri (the first month of the civil year and seventh month of the ecclesiastical year), marks the time when, according to tradition, God created the world.
For Jews worldwide, this is a time of introspection, of looking back at the past year and planning for the new year ahead. It is the only Jewish holiday that is purely religious and not tied to historical or natural events.
The 10-day period known as the Days of Awe starts with Rosh Hashanah and ends with Yom Kippur.
Inspired? Create and share by tagging @hallmarkstores.
Rosh Hashanah, which means “head of the year” in Hebrew, is a time of family gatherings and religious celebrations. Families gather for a traditional holiday meal, including apples dipped in honey, which symbolize the wish for a sweet new year, and challah bread baked in a round or dome shape to symbolize a wish for a well rounded year without sorrow.
The sounding of the shofar, an instrument made from a ram’s horn, is an important part of the celebration. The shofar is blown 100 times every day of Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur, observed on the 10th day of Tishri, is also called the Day of Atonement. It is the most solemn day of the Jewish year, observed with fasting, reflection and prayer.
One of the guiding principles of the High Holy Days is that it is the time when God decides whose name will be inscribed in the Book of Life and whose name will be in the Book of Death, essentially amounting to who will live, who will die, who will have a good year and who won’t. The books are written on Rosh Hashanah, but an individual’s actions during the Days of Awe can alter God’s decree. The books, and therefore the fates for the year, are sealed on Yom Kippur.
Credits: Includes contributions from Mariya Zilberman.
Shop This Occasion
See allYou may also like
See more-
Spring History of Administrative Professionals Day
Three people led the effort to create Administrative Professionals Day/Week: Mary Barrett, a past president of the...
-
Easter Easter Eggs-travaganza: Our Favorite Easter Egg Ideas
When it comes to Easter, we think both adults AND kids deserve to have some fun and make fabulous, way-too-pretty-to-...
-
St. Patrick's Day Free Printable St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Pages for Your Little Leprechauns
If you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, then you know it’s all about sharing love, luck and fun. And what could be more f...
-
Easter Free Printable Easter Coloring Pages to Brighten Up Your Celebration
One of the best things about Easter—in addition to faith, family and food—is all the colors. So we figured we’d throw...
-
Spring History of Teacher Appreciation Week
People in the United States started celebrating National Teacher Day in 1953 when Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Cong...
-
Spring History of Nurses Day
In 1953, an official with the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare proposed that President Dwight D. E...
-
Congratulations Rewards for Kids: 10 Parents Share Their Tips for Celebrating Achievements
One of the most important tools parents have to shape their kids’ behavior is the power of positive feedback. But as ...
-
Congratulations How to Give a Toast from the Heart
At some point in your life, you’ll need to give a toast. You might get advance notice as a Maid of Honor or host o...
-
Congratulations How to Say Congratulations (Even When You'd Really Rather Not)
Congratulating others is easy and fun, right? Like when your friend worked really hard and got that awesome job ma...
-
New Year's Guilt-Free New Year's Resolutions
“New Year’s resolutions.” To some, those words are filled with pure possibility...an invitation to start anew, comple...
-
New Year's New Year's Resolution Ideas for Groups
New Year’s resolutions are pretty lonely deals. It’s just you and that thing you have to live up to. Ack! No wonde...
-
Christmas A Christmas tribute: meaningful ways to weave memories of lost loved ones into new holiday traditions
For many of us, Christmas is the time of year when we miss our lost loved ones the most. Finding ways to memoriali...
-
Thanksgiving The History of Thanksgiving and Alternative Ideas for Celebrating Gratitude
Many of us in the United States have celebrated Thanksgiving through the years without knowing its origins, perhaps h...
-
Christmas Baby’s First Christmas Ideas
Baby's first Christmas means more fun, more cuteness, more joy...and definitely more wonder as you see the holiday se...
-
Mother's Day What to Write in a Mother's Day Card
Tell her just how much she means using this guide from Hallmark writers.
-
Gift Wrapping Giftology: how to wrap a Mother's Day gift
Make Mom’s day with these simply stunning Mother’s Day gift-wrapping ideas. Watch our video tutorials ...
-
Mother's Day How to Write an Appreciation Letter for Mom
No one has loved you (or put up with you) like Mom has. Or let’s say it wasn’t “Mom”—maybe it’s been a stepmom, grand...
-
Valentine's Day Free Printable Valentine’s Day Coloring Pages You'll Love
Valentine’s Day is all about love. Not just the romantic kind, either. More and more, people are using Valentine’s Da...
-
Valentine's Day What to Write in a Valentine's Day Card
Hallmark writers offer up inspiration to help you find just the right loving words to add when you sign a valentine.
-
Birthday What to Write in a Birthday Card
When it comes to signing birthday cards, there are people who have no problem picking up a pen and adding a warm, per...