When I was growing up, I absolutely loved the fall. After a long, hot summer, my friends and I couldn’t wait for the beginning of a new school year, our updated wardrobes, a fresh season of fall sports, and of course, brand new episodes of our favorite TV shows. Life didn’t get much more exciting than that.
In the Jewish religion, autumn also marks new beginnings, starting with Rosh Hashanah, which literally means “the first of the year.” As the Jewish New Year, it’s one of the holiest days of the year and the start of our season of High Holy Days. We think of it as the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve and the birthday of mankind.
Rosh Hashanah falls on the first and second days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Jewish year. This year, we’ll observe on September 16 and 17, and this will begin the Ten Days of Repentance, which culminates in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
These holy days are the most important in the spiritual life of Jews because it’s our time to focus on our relationship with God. Although we don’t celebrate the new year with party hats and champagne toasts, we do see Rosh Hashanah as a time of renewal – when we reflect on how we’re living our lives, set things straight with people we’ve wronged, and make resolutions to become better people.
Bible references to Rosh Hashanah appear in the Book of Leviticus:
In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a Sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, in holy convocation. – Leviticus 16:24
For Jews, the hallmark of Rosh Hashanah is the blast of the shofar one hundred times a day during the two days of the observance. The shofar is an instrument made of a ram’s horn and sounds like a trumpet. And once you’ve heard it– especially within the synagogue – you never forget it.
Like so many special days in the Jewish religion, Rosh Hashanah has many, many blessings associated with it. I’m fond of the one called L’ShanahTovah, which says, May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.
Numerous items are needed to make your religious observance of Rosh Hashanah authentic and truly meaningful. A good place to start is a visit to the Traditions Jewish Gifts online catalog, where we feature many items unique to the High Holidays and even a High Holiday gift buying guide. You’ll also find shofars directly from Israel, a variety of Jewish calendars, toys for children, and serving dishes. This is the perfect time of year to make Jewish holidays a part of your family tradition.