Rosh Hashanah greetings: Jewish New Year greetings – how to say Happy New Year in Hebrew

Rosh Hashanah is one of the most important dates in the Jewish calendar. The date marks the first of the High Holidays, a ten-day period which ends with Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Rosh Hashanah is two days long and usually occurs during the months of September, this year it began in the evening of Sunday, September 29, and ending on the evening of Tuesday, October 1.

How to wish someone ‘Happy Rosh Hashanah’

There are a few ways to wish your Jewish friends a happy new year.

Saying ‘Shana Tova’, which means ‘For a good year’ in Hebrew, is the most common greeting.

If you want to express the same sentiment but more elaborately, you can say ‘Shanah Tovah Umetukah’, which means ‘A good and sweet year’.

And a Rosh Hashanah greeting used by the devout is ‘L’ Shanah Tovah Tikatevu V’taihatem’, which means ‘May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year’.

How is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?

On Rosh Hashanah, Jews all around the globe celebrate the creation of the world and have an opportunity to ask for forgiveness and start afresh.

Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the universe in Jewish belief, the day God created Adam and Eve.

The celebration begins at sundown on the eve of Tishrei 1 – the Hebrew month corresponding with September and October.

During Rosh Hashanah, Jewish people ask God for forgiveness for anything they may have done wrong the previous year.

The holiday is an opportunity to remind oneself not to repeat the mistakes again in the year ahead.

Rosh Hashanah is also seen as an annual observation of improvement and fresh starts.

Jews from all over the world celebrate Rosh Hashanah, and traditions can vary depending on the region.

Candle lighting in the evenings, festive meals and prayer services on both mornings are fundamental parts of the holiday.

A special prayer service is held at a synagogue, and the shofar – a horn from a ram – is blown.

Charitable giving, known as Tzedakah, is also an important part of the holiday.

Jews are expected to desist from creative work during Rosh Hashanah.

Food is a crucial element of Rosh Hashanah, including many special meals which begin with reciting the kiddush prayer over wine, and then a blessing over bread.

Sweet food is eaten to symbolise hope for a sweet year ahead.

Some other foods commonly enjoyed are pomegranates, apples in honey, challah bread, and fish.

Nuts, vinegar, horseradish and other sharp or bitter foods are avoided to prevent a bitter year.

source: express.co.uk