Rosh Hashanah

When it falls

The first and second days of Tishrei, the new moon nearest the autumn equinox, in September or early October. It opens the ten Days of Awe that end with Yom Kippur.

The Phala almanac gives the exact day for your own city; the lunar and solar rules above are what it computes from.

The story

The head of the year: the anniversary of the creation of the world by the tradition's count, and the day of judgment on which every person's deeds are weighed and written in the book of life, to be sealed ten days later. The Torah calls it the day of the shofar blast (Yom Teruah), and the ram's horn is sounded a hundred times in the synagogue to wake the conscience and recall the ram of Abraham's sacrifice.

The Hebrew year counts from creation; 5787 begins in September 2026.

How the day is kept

• Candles lit at dusk, the kiddush over wine, and the round challah, its shape for the circle of the year, dipped in honey.
• Apple dipped in honey with the blessing for a good and sweet year, then the fish head or ram's head (the head, not the tail), pomegranate, dates and other symbolic foods (simanim).
• The shofar sounded during the morning service, in the sequences tekiah, shevarim, teruah, and long services with the Musaf prayers on kingship, remembrance and the shofar.
• Tashlikh in the afternoon: crumbs cast into flowing water, the year's sins cast off with them.

At the table

Round challah with honey, apples and honey, honey cake, tzimmes (sweet carrots), pomegranates, and the new fruit of the season blessed on the second night.

More new years