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Rosh Hashanah

A calendar with a shape over September that reads 'Rosh Hashanah'
  • Written byStudent Communications
  • Published date 22 September 2025
A calendar with a shape over September that reads 'Rosh Hashanah'
Rosh Hashanah | UAL Creative

Rosh Hashanah is celebrated as the Jewish New Year beginning this year on 22 September and ends after nightfall on 24 September. It begins at sundown on the first eve of Tishrei (which is a month in the Hebrew calendar that is considered a time of renewal). The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is blowing the shofar (ram’s horn) on both mornings of the holiday (except on Shabbat), which is normally done in synagogue as part of the day's services.

What does Rosh Hashanah mean to the Jewish community?

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, holds profound significance for the Jewish community as one of its most important religious holidays. Unlike the New Year celebrated on 1 January, Rosh Hashanah is marked in autumn according to the Hebrew calendar. This deeply meaningful time combines solemn religious observance with joyous celebration, offering an opportunity for personal and communal renewal. It initiates the Ten Days of Repentance, also known as the Days of Awe, which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. During Rosh Hashanah, it is believed that God judges all people and inscribes their fate for the coming year in the Book of Life or the Book of Death, a judgment that is sealed on Yom Kippur, underscoring the holiday's weighty spiritual significance.

How might people celebrate Rosh Hashanah?

One of the cherished traditions of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the shofar, a large horn that produces a series of one hundred notes in a distinctive rhythm, marking the beginning of the New Year. Food plays a vital role during this holiday, with honey cake and slices of apple dipped in honey enjoyed to symbolise the hope for a sweet year ahead. Each evening of Rosh Hashanah, women and girls light candles while reciting blessings. During Rosh Hashanah some believers participate in the Tashlich ceremony, where they pray near a body of water, tossing pieces of bread or other food into the water as a symbolic act of casting away sins.

We hope all those celebrating Rosh Hashanah have a joyous and prosperous year!