When is Rosh Hashanah? What you should know about the Jewish New Year, traditions and food

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, marks the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days leading up to Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Here's what you should know about Rosh Hashanah.

When is Rosh Hashanah 2024?

Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on Wednesday, October 2nd. According to Chabad.org, it ends at nightfall on Friday, October 4th.

What is Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year” and is celebrated on the first two days of the Jewish New Year. This year, Rosh Hashanah marks the Jewish New Year 5785. The Jewish holiday celebrates the birthday of the universe and “the day G-d created Adam and Eve.”

How is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?

Rosh Hashanah is often celebrated with the sound of the shofar, made from a ram's horn, and Jewish communities gather in synagogues for prayer services.

It is also celebrated through the lighting of candles every evening, festive holiday meals, and a special prayer of repentance said near bodies of water known as Tashlich. The traditional greeting “Happy and Sweet New Year” is also used.

What traditional foods are eaten during Rosh Hashanah?

Families celebrating Rosh Hashanah enjoy traditional holiday foods like honey-dipped apples, round challahs, and new fruits.

• Apples and honey are eaten together to symbolize a sweet new year.

• One can also eat challah, a braided bread, in a round loaf to represent a yearly cycle.

• Pomegranate seeds also represent the 613 mitzvot, or commandments, quoted in the Torah, the Jewish holy book.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Rosh Hashanah begins today. Here's what you should know about the Jewish New Year