Wishing Our Readers Shanah Tovah, A Good And Sweet New Year

Jewish communities began their celebration of Rosh Hashanah at sundown last night. The holiday continues for two days, through sundown on Tuesday, October 4.

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, and this will be year 5777 in the Jewish calendar.

A greeting for the holiday is “Shanah Tovah,” which translates to “[have a] good year.” The full greeting is “Shanah Tovah Umetukah,” or, “a good and sweet Year.” The tradition of eating apples dipped in honey is a symbolic act of enjoying the sweetness of this time.

The blowing of the shofar, or hollowed-out ram’s horn, is one of the most important parts of the holiday. In addition, the shofar is blown to end the fast of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement which begins sundown on Tuesday, October 11 this year.

Pomegranates are also part of Rosh Hashanah — the ritual of eating an abundance of seeds with the hope of achieving an abundance of merits in the new year. The round challah bread is also eaten, a representation of the circle of life.

To all our readers who celebrate, we wish you a sweet year.