Rosh Hashanah

At the heart of this holy season is the shofar—a ram’s horn whose urgent sounds echo
through synagogues to awaken the soul. The shofar is a spiritual alarm
clock—summoning us to pause, reflect on our lives, and realign ourselves with our
values and responsibilities.
This sacred time invites deep introspection, Teshuva (repentance and return),
forgiveness, Tefillah (prayer), Tzedakah (charity), and ultimately, Chadash (renewal).
“Rosh Hashanah is the Creation of the World. It is a time to recreate ourselves by
recognizing our faults, repenting, and asking forgiveness from others for our sins—all
leading to atonement, granted by God for our actions.” Marc Rubenstein
Rosh Hashanah also reminds us of the sacredness of time. “I was given my life, some
two and a half billion seconds: I did some reckoning and I decided to do something with
those seconds so that I might make a difference.” - Shimon Peres – Late former
President and Prime Minister of Israel
There are special services at the synagogue which are some of the more complex of
the year. The evening service is called the Ma’ariv, the morning service is called the
Shacharit, and the Mincha (afternoon) prayer service. There are unique prayers for
Rosh Hashanah, special chants, and readings from the Torah that focus on the themes
of repentance, judgment, and the sovereignty of God. 
Families gather for festive meals filled with foods rich in meaning. Apples dipped in
honey are perhaps the most iconic symbol of Rosh Hashanah—representing the hope
for a sweet year ahead. The table may also include roasted chicken or lamb with
apricots, prunes, raisins, or quinces, adding a sweet and festive flavor, rice or couscous
flavored with saffron and warm spices, roasted root vegetables –glazed with
pomegranate molasses, carrot tzimmes (a sweet stew with carrots, sometimes prunes
or sweet potatoes), beets, gourds, fenugreek, new fruit (something not yet eaten that
season, like persimmons or figs) and honey cake. The meals are often accompanied by
stories and prayers for abundance and peace.
May the gates be opened while the sky is still soft. May the song of the shofar call to us
before the silence sets in. And may our names be gently inscribed in the Book of Life.
Shanah Tovah U’Metukah— Wishing you and your loved ones a sweet, healthy, and
meaningful New Year!