Jewish Art Today

Rosh Hashanah – a short background:

Rosh Hashanah is literally the head of the year. Whereas Christians celebrate on January 1^st, the Jewish people mark the beginning of the new year by the Jewish calendar, on the first and second day of the first month called Tishrei. This day is believed to be the day of Adam’s creation and also the Day of Judgment, when God judges all creatures and sets each and every one’s fate for the year to come. However, as you probably know, despite of the great risk of being written in “the wrong book”, this day isn’t considered a gloomy, or fearful day at all – how come? The answer is given to us in the Talmud:

“What nation is like this one? It is accustomed in the world that when a man knows he is being judged, he wears black and wraps himself in black and grows a beard, since he does not know what his judgment shall be. Israel are not so, they wear white and wrap themselves in white and shave their beards and eat and drink and filled with joy, because they know that G-d is performing miracles on their account”.

Rosh Hashanah Customs:

During the month before Rosh Hashanah (Elul) people dedicate their prayers and thoughts to repentance and self scrutiny, wishing to mend their ways and start anew, having G-d’s blessing on their side. Many Jewish communities blow the Shofar (ram’s horn) every morning, to signify the need to wake up and change what’s wrong in our behavior and lives and needs to be dismissed. Before the beginning of the new year it is accustomed to  perform a nullification of vows ceremony, where we are released from the vows and promises we obliged to keep this past year. The Rosh Hashanah Meal is a feast of positive symbols that are carrying blessings for the year to come. For instance, we eat apples dipped in honey and say “May the new year be good and sweet as honey” or we eat pomegranate and say “May our rights be as many as in the Rimon (pomegranate)”. Those who wish to perform the ceremony as their other Jewish brothers over the world should buy themselves a “Rosh Hashanah Mahzor”, which is a special prayer book for Rosh Hashana, which also includes the blessings of New Year’s Eve. Another interesting custom is the “Tashlikh”, which means “casting off”. During the first day of Rosh Hashanah the people go to a natural water source and throw pieces of bread or food in it, as a symbol of parting from the sins we have committed on the past year.

Connect to millions of Jews all around the world by preparing the following in advance:

(a) Get the prayer book for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur:

In order to be able to perform all the ceremonies and say all the blessings and prayers correctly you will need this book, which is going to accompany you your whole life. Each member of the family should have a book of his own, so that if you choose to go to the synagogue, each of you will be able to fit in easily.

If you would like to hear the prayers of Rosh Hashanah, in addition to Yom Kippur’s mesmerizing prayers, you can do so by purchasing this wonderful 11 cds pack, performed beautifully by  highly appraised cantors from the great synagogue in Jerusalem. You can purchase this highly recommended pack here.

(b) Get yourself a Shofar –

Hearing the Shofar’s sound is a mitzvah and every Jewish person has to hear it on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Shofar’s impact is extremely powerful – its sounds penetrate even the thickest heart and shake our foundations, calling us to open our eyes and change everything we wished to change for a long time. Having a Shofar is not only a tribute to Jewish tradition, it’s also a way to enhance our spiritual growth.

there are relatively cheap and beautiful Shofars (or “shofarot”, if we stick to the Hebrew grammar), like this one here,

and there are also more expensive and more special ones, just like this Shofar here.

(c) Get yourself New Year’s greeting cards:

Before Rosh Hashanah, make sure you send all your close friends a heart warming card, wishing them a happy new year. There are many lovely greeting cards. You can buy a lovely 10 cards set  here.

(d) Get your host a delicious gift basket:

One of the greatest ways to begin the new year is by giving. Purchase this freshly made gift basket, including exquisite wine and cake, and grant yourselves a joyful entrance!

Shana Tova!!!