From September 13 (at sundown) to September 15, 2015!

I’d like to give my best to our local Jewish community while they celebrate Rosh Hashanah!

In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, “head of the year” or “first of the year” and is commonly known as the Jewish New Year.

Customary Greetings:

On Rosh Hashanah it is customary to greet people with “May you have a good year”. Another greeting , “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year “, refers to the role that judgement plays in this New Year celebration.

Traditions:

The blowing of the shofar is an important symbol of Rosh Hashanah. This instrument constructed of a ram’s horn, and is blown 100 times for each of the two days of Rosh Hashanah. The sound of the shofar blast reminds people of the importance of reflection during this important holiday. Learn more about the shofar in this article.

Tashlich is a ceremony that usually takes place during the first day of Rosh Hashanah. “Tashlich” literally means “casting off” and involves symbolically casting off the sins of the previous year by tossing pieces of bread or another food into a body of flowing water. Learn more about tashlich in this article.

Foods:

Apples, honey and round loaves of challah are important symbols of Rosh Hashanah.

Apple slices dipped in honey represent our hope for a sweet new year and are traditionally accompanied by a short prayer before eating. Challah, which is usually baked into braids, is shaped into round loaves of bread on Rosh Hashanah. The circular shape symbolizes the continuation of life.

New fruits are traditionally eaten on the second night of Rosh Hashanah, and the shehechiyanu blessing is made to thank their God for bringing them to this season. Pomegranates are a popular choice because they contain 613 seeds, one for each of the 613 mitzvot, or commandments. These 613 seeds are also seen as symbols of hopes that good deeds will be plentiful in the new year.

Local Celebrations:

Here’s a site of family friendly activities called – Guelph Kids: http://www.guelphkids.com/2011/09/28/shanah-tovah-happy-new-year/

Our local Synagogue and congregation – Beth Isaiah Congregation – http://bethisaiah.com/

Jewish Students’ Association – University of Guelph – http://www.uoguelph.ca/clubs/jso/

More information:

http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/Most-Important-Things-To-Know-About-Rosh-Hashanah.htm

Take care,

Cam