Rosh Hashanah : Jewish New Year appear at sundown Friday night
Rabbi Meir Moscowitz of Lubavitch Chabad demonstrated the shofar, an ancient musical instrument made from a ram’s horn. It is blown in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Yom Kippur, 10 days from Friday. The shofar is one of the central symbols of the Jewish holiday, which begins on the Jewish Sabbath this year.
“The shofar is our call to God,” Moscowitz said. “We are saying, ‘God, this is a new year. We want to connect with you. We want that relationship.'”
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and marks the beginning of a month of important Jewish holy days. Many Jewish people observe it by eating sweets at their synagogues starting on Friday evening. This is symbolic of their hope for a sweet year. Many in the congregation gathered during the week to assemble packages of sweets for distribution on Friday.
“This month and this day set the tone for the year to come,” Moscowitz said. “It is a time for reflection and reconnection with God.”
Jewish people believe that Rosh Hashanah celebrates the birth of humanity. It is a time to reflect on the past year and pray for forgiveness for sins. According to the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah usually falls in September or October. This year, it also begins on Friday evening, the Jewish Sabbath. Jewish people also light candles in their homes on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize light and peace.
“Rosh Hashanah reminds us of our purpose in this world as it relates to our relationship with our creator,” Moscowitz said.
One of the central themes of Rosh Hashanah is prayer. Jewish people have a 320-page prayer book for just the two days of Rosh Hashanah, which begin at sundown on Friday night.
