On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, there are several key customs and traditions observed:
- Hearing the blowing of the shofar (a ram's horn) multiple times during synagogue services, especially after the reading of significant prayers, symbolizing a call to repentance and reflection.
- Attending synagogue for extended prayer services, which include special liturgy and Torah readings centered around themes of teshuva (repentance) and renewal.
- Eating festive meals with symbolic foods meant for a sweet and prosperous new year. This includes round challah bread (instead of the usual oval shape) dipped in honey, apples dipped in honey, pomegranates, and the head of a fish or ram to symbolize being "a head and not a tail."
- On the second night, eating a "new fruit," a fruit not yet tasted in the season since the previous Rosh Hashanah.
- Performing Tashlich, a ritual at a body of fresh water, symbolically casting away sins by shaking out garments or throwing pieces of bread or stones.
- Lighting candles in the evenings, beginning the holiday with blessings.
- Some customs include spiritual preparations such as immersion in a mikveh (ritual bath) for purification.
These practices are both joyful and reflective, marking the beginning of the Jewish year with hopes for sweetness, renewal, and spiritual growth.
