close
close

Latest Post

Premier League predictions and best bets: Everton beat Newcastle | Football News College Football Live Updates: UNC leads Pitt 7-3 after Cost Pick-6

play

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is scheduled to begin this week, slightly later than last year's holiday.

The holiday, which can also be spelled Rosh Hashanah, marks the beginning of the Jewish High Holidays and leads to Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. Jewish people may spend this day fasting, attending synagogue, or other holidays.

When is Rosh Hashanah 2024?

This year, Rosh Hashanah begins on Wednesday, October 2nd and ends at sunset on Friday, October 4th, according to the Farmer's Almanac.

What is Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year and, translated from Hebrew, means “head” of the year. It is commemorated in a variety of ways, including special prayers, meals and gatherings.

The celebration of the New Year is the only Jewish holiday that lasts two days both inside and outside Israel. It is called Yoma Arichta, which translates to “a long day,” as the 48-hour celebration can be viewed as a single extended day.

Why is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?

Rosh Hashanah is often viewed as an opportunity to reflect on the past year and focus on hopes for the year ahead, said Jordan Rosenblum, Belzer Professor of Classical Judaism and Max and Frieda Weinstein Bascom Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison told USA TODAY.

Rosh Hashanah is also important to some Jews as a celebration of the creation of humanity. It can be called the “birthday of the world” and marks the time when God created Adam and Eve – or when the breath of life came.

How is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?

Many Jewish people will attend services in synagogues and other locations on Rosh Hashanah. Jewish communities will recite special prayers and songs to mark the New Year.

Some Jewish communities blow a shofar, a curved ram's horn. This will also be used to celebrate Yom Kippur to formally conclude the celebration, Danielle Kranjec, assistant vice president of Jewish education at Hillel International, told USA TODAY.

During Rosh Hashanah, others may also pray near a body of water in a Tashlich ceremony and additionally throw pieces of bread or other food into the water to symbolize the rejection of sins.

Rosh Hashanah in Louisville

Here are some Louisville Jewish communities with activities or services for Rosh Hashanah 2024:

What are some traditional Rosh Hashanah dishes?

  • Apples and honey represent the new year.
  • Challah, a braided bread, could be eaten in a round loaf to represent a yearly cycle.
  • Pomegranate seeds also represent the 613 mitzvot, or commandments, quoted in the Torah, the Jewish holy book.

What is Yom Kippur?

Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism, is the day when Jews reflect on sins or transgressions of the past year. Many Jews attend services in synagogues or other communities, say special prayers and sing special songs.

Do people eat on Yom Kippur?

No. One of the most common Yom Kippur traditions is to fast for 25 hours and not eat or drink anything from the night Yom Kippur begins until the night it ends.

Some Jews also avoid other activities on Yom Kippur, such as bathing, applying makeup, wearing leather shoes or having sex.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *