Every year, we come together to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. This is an opportunity to take stock of the past year and make new resolutions for the year to come. Let's find out in this article how to celebrate the Jewish New Year. Back to the dates in 2022, the origins and traditions of Rosh Hashanah.

When is Rosh Hashanah in 2022?

According to the Hebrew calendar, we celebrate Rosh Hashanah on the 1st and 2nd of the month of Tishri (first month of the Hebrew calendar).

This year, Rosh Hashanah takes place on Monday, September 26 and Tuesday, September 27, 2022.

During these two days, Jews are not allowed to work in order to be totally devoted to the celebration of the holiday.

Origins of Rosh Hashanah

Roch Hashanah literally means “head of the year”. When G‑d created Adam, he turned to his creator and proclaimed him King of the universe. Indeed, on Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate the kingship of the Almighty and pray that he will grant us a year of peace, prosperity, and blessing.

Although the origin of the holiday dates back to the Torah, it has not always been associated with New Year's Day. It was during antiquity that Rosh Hashanah was proclaimed as the day of the creation of the universe and the day of divine judgment in the Mishna and the Talmud. This is how the 1st Tishri marks the beginning of the Hebrew calendar and invites us to remember and commemorate this sacred day thanks to the Shofar ceremony.

Also, Rosh Hashana marked the beginning of the period of repentance, which lasts 10 days and ends on the day of Yom Kippur.

How to celebrate Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah is one of the major Jewish holidays. During the two days of Rosh Hashanah, also called “day of the blowing” or “feast of the trumpets”, we observe different customs and traditions. These different celebrations allow us to repent, to start the year on a good footing, but also to celebrate our divine faith. Let's learn about the different traditions of the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

The Shofar

Going to the synagogue to listen to the sound of the Chofar, a horn made from an animal's horn (often a ram's horn) is the central ritual of the Rosh Hashanah holiday .

The sound of the Shofar raises awareness and invites the Jewish community to introspection and repentance. But the blowing of the shofar also represents the sounding of the trumpet that sounds at the coronation of a king, and invites us to celebrate the omnipotence of G‑d.

Furthermore, the ram's horn is associated with a biblical event. This is the sacrifice of Abraham, when, under divine order, he sacrifices a ram in place of his son, Isaac. Here the Shofar symbolizes the importance of life, and loyalty to Gd.

The first 30 blasts of the shofar are sounded on both days of Rosh Hashanah, unless the first day falls on Shabbat. In this case, it is only rung on the second day. We must blow the Shofar, just after the Torah reading during the morning service. It is also rung several times during the Mussaf prayer.

The Tashlik

Another observance of the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, is the ceremony of Tashlik. The custom is to go to a body of water (river, lake, pond, sea, etc.) in order to pour out the contents of your pockets.It is important to recite the Tachlik prayer during the Tashlik ceremony. By this symbolic act, we throw our sins into the water, in order to start the year on a new basis.

The Lighting of the Candles

On both evenings of Rosh Hashanah, the women and girls of the household must light candles before or just after sunset. This allows us to introduce the evening meal. On the second day, the candles should be lit from an existing flame.

The Rosh Hashanah Seder

The two days of Rosh Hashanah are marked by large family meals. Indeed, during these meals, it is customary to talk about the Torah and avoid futile discussions.

Just before the meal, the Kiddush tradition is observed and each member of the table must eat challah (traditional Jewish bread, similar to brioche).

Then we eat different symbolic foods to make wishes for the New Year.

According to tradition, here are the foods to eat at the Rosh Hashanah Seder in chronological order:

• Dates: to put an end to all those who wish us harm
• White Beans: to multiply our merits
• Leek: so that our enemies are slaughtered
• Chard: to make our enemies disappear
• Squash: For our merits to be declared before Gd
• Granada: to have a year full of mitzvot (good deeds)
• Apple dipped in honey: for a year as good and sweet as honey
• Sheep's or fish's head: to be in the lead this year

You should know that the practices and foods to eat can vary significantly according to the different Jewish communities. These foods have the particularity of being soft and sweet. Indeed, during the Seder of Rosh Hashanah, acidic or bitter foods are avoided. This allows you to spend a sweet and happy year.

Also, the tasting of each dish is accompanied by precise prayers, which you can find here.

How to wish Rosh Hashanah?

During the whole period of celebration, it is customary to wish each other “Shana Tova” which means “happy new year” in Hebrew. You can also add the word “oumetouka”, which means “and soft”, at the end.

On Rosh Hashanah night, you can also wish: “Lechana tova tikatev vete’hatem”. It means: “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year”.

Small precision to take into account: when greeting a woman, we say: “Lechana tova tikatevi veti’hatemi”.

Find out more:

Discover the 2022 calendar of Jewish holidays

Passover 2022: history, rites and celebration

The story of Hanukkah