We dip an apple into honey to symbolize a sweet new year. The combination of these two sweet items, both the products of nature, offer a reminder of the inherent sweetness of the world and the desire for that sweetness to be a part of our lives throughout the year. This is a medieval Ashkenazi […]
When is Rosh HaShanah?
Rosh HaShanah (literally Head of the Year in Hebrew) is celebrated on the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, 163 days after the first day of Passover. The Hebrew calendar is composed of 12 lunar months (13 in a leap year, when the month of Adar is doubled). While there are […]
What are the Jewish High Holidays?
Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, are together considered the High Holidays. They are the holiest days of the Jewish calendar, and occur in the fall, ten days apart from each other. Holiday Activities The primary activity on both of these holidays is prayer. Jews spend most of […]
Why Do We Eat Apples Dipped in Honey to Symbolize a Sweet Year?
One of the most well-known traditions of the Jewish New Year is to eat sweet foods to symbolize a sweet year, and the most common way to do so is with apples dipped in honey. Rosh HaShanah falls during the apple harvesting time, so their plentiful bounty makes them an ideal sweet treat. There are […]
Why do we Blow the Shofar during the Month of Elul?
The Hebrew month of Elul, which precedes the High Holy Days, is a month spent in introspection and personal preparation. One custom is to blow the shofar, the ram’s horn, each morning (except Shabbat) at the conclusion of the Shacharit (morning) prayer service. Some say this is to help us prepare ourselves and “wake us […]
What Two Blessings do We Say before Sounding the Shofar?
The sounding of the shofar (the ram’s horn) is accompanied by an elaborate service of readings and psalms and poems. There are two blessings recited before the shofar is sounded. The first is related to the mitzvah (the requirement or commandment) to hear the sound of the shofar. The second is the traditional blessing said […]
