Between sunset on 2 October and sunset on 4 October 2024, Jewish communities around the world celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, marking the beginning of the year 5785 according to the Hebrew calendar. This holiday, which spans two days, coincides with the 1st and 2nd of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, and marks the beginning of the holy days in Jewish tradition.

Rosh Hashanah, which means ‘head of the year’, is celebrated from the eve of the first day of the year, at sunset on Wednesday 2 October. The holiday is characterised by deep and meaningful traditions, including the blowing of the shofar, a kosher animal horn blown 100 times to inaugurate the month of Tishrei. This blowing symbolises a call to spiritual awakening and renewal, and is one of the most anticipated elements of the celebration.

Families gather to make blessings and enjoy a ritual dinner, featuring symbolic dishes such as apple with honey, which symbolises the wish for a sweet year, and others such as gefilte fish and lecaij, a honey dessert that evokes omens of prosperity.

In addition to being a celebration of hope and joy, Rosh Hashanah has a deep spiritual significance. According to tradition, this is the day when God evaluates whether humanity is worthy of another year on earth. For this reason, Rosh Hashanah is also known as the Day of Judgement, when believers reflect on their actions and pray for the blessing of a year filled with peace and good decisions.

One of the most common greetings during this holiday is ‘Shanah tovah’, which means ‘good year’, and may be accompanied by the Hebrew blessing ‘Leshanah tovah tikatev vetejatem’, which translates as ‘may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year’.

Rosh Hashanah represents a new beginning, a time of introspection and hope for the future. May it be a year of peace, health and prosperity. Shanah tovah.