10 facts about Rosh Hashanah
10 Facts About Rosh Hashanah.
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. It literally means the head of the year and it marks the first two days of the New Year.
The scriptures refer to this day as Yom Teruah which translates as the day of shouting or blasting.
The Shofar (ram’s horn) is blown at Rosh Hashanah. A hundred notes are blown in a special tune. This happens in the synagogue.
Rosh Hashanah is in September in 2019.
The festival celebrates the creation of the world.
It is time when God judges his people. It is the time when God looks at what sort of people we have been. It is known as a Judgement Day.
God has a Book of Life where he records his judgements. In this book he sets out people’s fortunes and what the next year will be like for them.
The records in the book are sealed a month later at Yom Kippur.
Jews visit the synagogue where they focus on the Kingship of God.
Special food is eaten at home. There is an emphasis on sweetness and apples are dipped in honey symbolizing the sweetness that Jews hope will fill the new year. The Jewish Hallah bread is served, having been made in a circle symbolizing the cycle of life and the year. Pomegranate is often eaten because it is believed they each have 613 seeds which in turn symbolise the 613 Jewish commandments.
