Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year celebrated at the beginning of the autumn season. When thinking of this special holiday, the representations that come to mind are apples dipped in honey to signify a sweet new year of beginnings, a festive meal shared with friends and family and the sounding of the ram’s horn: the shofar. These essential parts of celebrating the New Year symbolize the greater significance of a time of self-restoration and transformation. This year will be 5785, the number of years since the creation of the world, according to biblical sources.
Rosh Hashanah is considered “the birthday of the universe” and serves as the onset of the Jewish calendar. Jewish people across the globe gather in synagogues to seek forgiveness, improve their lives and mark a new beginning. Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on Wednesday, Oct 2nd, with a large brisket dinner, and will last until Friday evening, Oct 4th. It will also overlap with Shabbat, which begins Friday evening.
When it comes to greetings, there are a variety of phrases used to greet Jewish peers during this time. For example, you can say anything from “may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year”, to “have a happy sweet New Year,” to even “may we be like the head and not the tail”, to reflect a sense of moving forward, success and good vibes.
An iconic part of Rosh Hashanah is hearing the shofar, a ram’s horn, during morning services to call people to repent and awaken their souls.
A tradition practiced on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah, after a celebratory lunch, is one where participants gather around a body of water (This year at Mirror Lake) to symbolically “cast away their sins” by throwing pieces of bread into the water. These meaningful customs highlight our intentions for the coming year.
Rosh Hashanah is considered a time for not only reflection but for celebration as well. We are reminded to pray for the health of our world and our country. Jewish holidays can connect us and reinforce a commitment to unity and perseverance. Additionally, we can celebrate brotherhood, kinship and connection to everyone else on earth. Rosh Hashana shows that despite differences, we all share a common theme of humanity and can all work together to repair the world.
Rosh Hashanah allows the Jewish people to welcome the potential of fresh starts that influence the course of the rest of the year. As Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon says,” …A sudden transition from one opposite to another is impossible and therefore man, according to his nature, is not capable of abandoning suddenly all to which he was accustomed.” Change is possible as long as we take it little by little. Therefore, we are reminded of our capability to change through hearing the shofar, tasting the sweet apples and honey and engaging in deep, meaningful prayers for ourselves, America and Israel. We have the power to change the world and our lives bring light into the universe.
For those staying on campus for the Holidays, there is good news for you. There will be services, lunch, dinner, community and everything in between happening at the Hillel and at Chabad of UConn. Chabad will be hosting its annual “Power Hour” service to ensure accessibility for all students during a busy day of classes. There will be services every day of Rosh Hashanah, prayers, food and celebration. There is even a brisket dinner!
Thank you for showing the readers of this paper that Judaism is a living and meaningful tradition — not the crude caricature that is so often on display in these pages.