What is Rosh Hashanah? When does it begin, and how long does it last?

Jews throughout the globe have started to celebrate the Jewish New Year, popularly called Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah is considered one of the holiest days in Judaism which begins on the first day of the Tishrei, the Hebrew calendar's seventh month. Interestingly, Tishrei almost always coincides with September or October every year.

This year's Rosh Hashanah celebrates the start of year 5783 in the Jewish calendar. The festival, meaning "first of the year" or "head of the year," is a time for reflection for all Jews. Rosh Hashanah is celebrated with symbolic foods, prayers, synagogue services, and the blowing of the shofar (the ram's horn), which is a traditional horn.


As per History.com, the occasion of Rosh Hashanah is the commemoration of the creation of the world. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is seen as the birthday of the world. It also symbolizes the start of the 10 Days of Awe. History.com states that the 10 Days of Awe is a period of introspection and repentance, which ends on the Day of Atonement called Yom Kippur. In the Jewish religion, Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are considered the two "High Holy Days."

In 2022, the holiday for Rosh Hashanah began on September 25 and would run through the night of September 27. Notably, the date of Rosh Hashanah varies every year because it is calculated on the basis of the Hebrew calendar.



The foods specific to the festivities of Rosh Hashanah include honey-dipped apples that denote sweetness and the hope for the same in the future. Round loaves of challah, which are braided egg bread, are also unique to Rosh Hashanah. It shows respect for the cycle of life. Pomegranates and the head of a fish are also familiar sights on a platter related to Rosh Hashanah. While pomegranates, with their plentiful seeds, are a reminder of several blessings, the head of a fish represents the beginning of a New Year, fertility, and abundance.

FAQs:

1). What is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.

2). When is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?
Rosh Hashanah is celebrated on the first day of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar.