Rosh Hashanah

Today at sundown begins the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, meaning Head of the Year.  This holiday celebrates the beginning of the Jewish calendar year. In the Jewish new year it begins the year of 5785.  

If you are Jewish this two day holiday represents the beginning of a new year but it also has a more solemn piece to it.  These two days mark the beginning of the Ten Days of Repentance.

The ten days that start with Rosh Hashanah end with Yom Kippur, a high holy day of repentance.  Over the ten days you should reflect on your life and contemplate any sins that you many need to atone for at Yom Kippur.

For this holiday if you are a practicing person, you would attend prayer services at your synagogue and spend time with your family. At the service you would hear the sounding of the shofa, or ram’s horn.  It is important to think about how you have been living your life.

Additionally, you light candles each evening and eat traditional foods during seder, a meal with family.  Apples and honey are enjoyed which represent a happy and sweet new year.  Your meal also includes challah bread, pomegranates and fish heads.

The symbolic foods are called simanim.  Other food might include beets, pumpkins, leeks, gourds, spinach and dates.  Often a new fruit or food is eaten to say a special blessing called, the shehecheyanu blessing.

These next ten days are an important part of the faith of our Jewish neighbors.

Private Home Health Care respects the traditions of our Jewish friends and we plan on greeting them with “shana tova” to say Happy New Year.