Rosh Hashanah begins Wednesday what to know about the Jewish new year

Celebrated in deep-rooted tradition and symbolic food, Rosh Hashanah begins with the setting of the sun on Wednesday, Oct. 2 and ends at nightfall on Friday, Oct. 4.

Rosh Hashanah, which means “Head of the Year” in Hebrew, is the beginning of the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holidays or “Days of Awe,” ending ten days later with Yom Kippur.

The traditional way to wish someone a Happy New Year in Hebrew is by saying “Shana Tova.” In Hebrew, this means “A Good Year,” according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Here’s what to know about the holiday:

When is Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah starts at sunset on Wednesday and continues through Friday evening.  

The celebration of the new year is the only Jewish holiday two days long, both inside and outside Israel. It’s called yoma arichta, or “a long day,” because the 48-hour celebration may be one extended day.  

Why is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?

Rosh Hashanah is often treated as a time to reflect on the previous year and focus on hopes for the coming year, according to Jordan Rosenblum, the Belzer Professor of Classical Judaism and Max and Frieda Weinstein-Bascom Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  

Rosh Hashanah is also important for some Jewish people as a celebration of humanity’s creation. It may be referred to as the “birthday of the world,” marking the time when God created Adam and Eve—or when the breath of life entered them. 

How is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?

Many Jewish people will attend services at synagogues and other spaces for worship on Rosh Hashanah. Jewish congregations will recite special prayers and songs to mark the new year.  

Some Jewish communities will blow a Shofar, a curved ram’s horn.  

Some Jews may also pray near a body of water in a Tashlich ceremony, tossing pieces of bread or other food into the water to symbolize washing away sins. 

Rosh Hashanah Foods

Food plays a large role in the Rosh Hashanah tradition. Here are some of the most traditional, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac:

• Apples dipped in honey (eaten on the first night)
• Round challah (egg bread) dipped in honey and sprinkled with raisins.
• A new seasonal fruit (on the second night).
• Pomegranates
• The head of a fish (or ram) asking God that in the coming year we be “a head and not a tail.”

USA Today contributed to this story.