Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is the celebration of the Jewish New Year, falling on the first day of the Jewish month of Tishri (sometimes in September; sometimes in October). It is a celebration of the creation of the world and, in 2005, the date on the Jewish calendar will be 5766

During the New Year's meal, bread is dipped in honey and eaten. Apples are also dipped in honey and honey-cake is a favourite. This all indicates the expectation of a sweet and happy new year.

The first ten days of the new year are known as the Ten Days of Return. During this time, Jews will apologise to everyone they have offended or been unkind to and will forgive those who apologise to them. The tenth day is the holiest day of the Jewish year - Yom Kippur or The Day of Atonement. This is a day of total fasting. The synagogue will be filled with the local Jewish community, expressing their sorrow and repentance to God for their failures towards HIm. The 'Kol Nidre' prayer sung in the synagogue expresses true sorrow for their 'vain vows', promises they have made to God but failed to fulfil. On this day God's judgment will be made concerning those people whose names will be written in His Book of Life for the new year. Thus their fate for the coming year is sealed: those whose names are written will continue their lives for another year.

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