Rosh Hashanah: The Meaning and Its Traditions
As summer fades into autumn, Jewish communities around the world turn their hearts and homes toward Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The phrase Rosh Hashanah literally translates as “Head of the Year” in Hebrew, signifying the beginning of a new chapter in the Jewish calendar. Observed over two days starting at sundown on the first of Tishrei, the holiday recalls the creation of the world and ushers in a sacred season of renewal and reflection.
Between Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur
Rosh Hashanah also marks the beginning of the Ten Days of Awe—a powerful spiritual journey of introspection and repentance that reaches its peak on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Together, these days form the High Holy Days, the most sacred period of the Jewish year, devoted to prayer, self-examination, and forgiveness. It is a time to pause and take measure of one’s life, to seek reconciliation, and to set hopeful intentions for the year ahead, while opening the door to fresh blessings and new beginnings.
Traditions of a Sweet New Year
The celebration of Rosh Hashanah is woven with symbols that capture its spirit of renewal and hope. Among the most recognizable is the shofar, the ram’s horn whose resonant blasts are meant to awaken the soul and call the community to reflection and prayer. Families gather in synagogues to hear its sound and to offer prayers for a year of goodness and blessing.
Equally cherished is the tradition of dipping crisp apple slices into golden honey, a simple yet powerful gesture expressing the wish for a sweet year ahead. Around the holiday table, many families share a festive meal filled with symbolic foods. A round challah, baked in a circle rather than its usual braided form, represents the endless cycle of life and the continuity of time. Some also place a pomegranate at the center of the feast; according to tradition, its hundreds of seeds correspond to the 613 mitzvot, or commandments, of the Torah, embodying abundance, virtue, and divine blessing.
Throughout Rosh Hashanah, it is customary to greet one another with the words “Shanah Tovah”—“A good year”—exchanging heartfelt wishes for health, joy, and sweetness in the days to come.
Equally cherished is the tradition of dipping crisp apple slices into golden honey, a simple yet powerful gesture expressing the wish for a sweet year ahead. Around the holiday table, many families share a festive meal filled with symbolic foods. A round challah, baked in a circle rather than its usual braided form, represents the endless cycle of life and the continuity of time. Some also place a pomegranate at the center of the feast; according to tradition, its hundreds of seeds correspond to the 613 mitzvot, or commandments, of the Torah, embodying abundance, virtue, and divine blessing.
Throughout Rosh Hashanah, it is customary to greet one another with the words “Shanah Tovah”—“A good year”—exchanging heartfelt wishes for health, joy, and sweetness in the days to come.
New Beginnings and Meaningful Gifts
Rosh Hashanah is more than a time of prayer and festive meals—it is also a celebration of new beginnings. One cherished custom is to wear something new for the holiday, whether a fresh outfit or even a new tablecloth at the dinner table, symbolizing renewal and the start of a fresh chapter.
This spirit of newness makes jewelry a particularly meaningful gift or personal accessory for the occasion. A necklace or bracelet adorned with Jewish symbols such as the Star of David or Chai, or personalized with a Hebrew name, beautifully honors both heritage and faith as the year begins. Worn close to the heart, such pieces serve as lasting reminders of identity and of the blessings (brachot) hoped for in the months ahead.
Shop Rosh Hashanah Gifts This spirit of newness makes jewelry a particularly meaningful gift or personal accessory for the occasion. A necklace or bracelet adorned with Jewish symbols such as the Star of David or Chai, or personalized with a Hebrew name, beautifully honors both heritage and faith as the year begins. Worn close to the heart, such pieces serve as lasting reminders of identity and of the blessings (brachot) hoped for in the months ahead.