Rosh Hashanah or Yom Teruah (The Day of the Sounding of Shofar)

    Calendar Dates:

  • Jewish Year 5776: sunset September 14, 2015 – nightfall September 15, 2012
  • Jewish Year 5777: sunset October 2, 2016 – nightfall October 4, 2016
  • Jewish Year 5778: Sunset Wednesday, 20 September – nightfall Friday, 22 September.
  • Jewish Year 5779: sunset

Introduction:
Rosh Hashanah occurs 163 days after the first day of Pesach (Passover) Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and is celebrated for two days on the first and second of Tishri. It also marks the start of the ten days of repentance.

In the Torah, Rosh Hashanah is also referred to as Yom Teruah (The Day of the Sounding of Shofar) and Yom Zikaron Teruah (The Day of Remembering the Sounding of the Sofar).

In prayer, Rosh Hashanah is also called Yom Ha’Zikaron (The Day of Memorial) and Yom Ha’Din (The Day of Judgement)

During Talmudic times, Rosh Hashanah was celebrated as the anniversary of the time that the world was created. It was the Mishna which first used the name Rosh Hashanah which has now become the commonly used name for the holiday.

It is customary on Rosh Hashanah to eat apple dipped in honey, symbolizing our hopes for a sweet and happy year. Some Jews also put honey on their challah (instead of salt) from Rosh Hashanah until the end of Simchat Torah.


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