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Come Fall and the Jews across the world gear up to greet Rosh Hashana, the much-awaited
festival of New Year. As people take the day(s) off to pray the Mincha and perform the Tashlich in the sundown, the evening breeze is filled with the blaring of Shofar. People come out of the synagogue wishing each other with L'shanah tovah ("for a good year"). The time is ripe for the feast, fun, family, friends and of course wishes galore! And indeed time's up for getting rid of the sins and starting afresh. Yes, the Rosh is here unleashing a whole session of holy observances - Yomim Nora'im - the 10 days of High Holy Days. The Rosh doesn't follow the calendar we follow here in United States. It falls on the first and second day of the seventh month of the Tishri, according to Jewish calendar. For, it is on Rosh Hashana the whole world is judged for the coming year. Unlike the US where Rosh Holiday is declared only on the first day, that is the day 1 of the Tishri in Israel it is a two-days' holiday. In fact it is the only holiday kept for 2 days in Israel. Because it is considered too important to be observed for only 24 hours. They consider both days as one long day of 48 hours . Though a New Year celebration Rosh Hashana ideally does not have the provision for a typical New Year bash. Thus all the fun and fiesta associated with this are confined by the Jewish traditions. The only similarity between the Jewish New Year and the usual one is: Many people use the New Year as a time to make "resolutions." Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to reconcile, to review the past deeds and mend the mistakes. |
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