Jewish New Year Rules
Fish is also eaten because it is an ancient symbol of fertility and abundance.
Jewish new year rules. Rosh hashanah literally means head of the year in hebrew. Rosh ha shanah will be observed on october 2. In jewish law four major new years are observed each one marking a beginning of sorts.
It occurs between labor day and columbus day. For this reason in some jewish communities it is traditional to eat the head of a fish during the rosh hashanah holiday meal. Most of us think of rosh hashanah the jewish new year as a very serious day the day on which we proclaim g d as king of the universe as he sits in judgment of the world and its inhabitants.
Other special foods are honeycakes and new fruit this civil year 1997 is the jewish year 5757. This jewish holiday is called rosh hashanah. Why jewish new year is happening in mid september jewish people have a separate calendar based on the movements of the moon which is slightly shorter than the standard year meaning that the dates of all holidays moves around slightly from year to year.
Yom kippur the day of atonement. For a general guide to the laws pertaining to all holidays for example the laws of cooking and carrying see laws of yom tov. It lasts for one or two days depending on your branch of judaism.
Rosh hashanah is a happy festive holiday but somewhat more solemn than american new year. In 2013 this date corresponds to the fifth of september but since the festivities should last exactly two days during which it is impossible to work it is necessary to celebrate the beginning of the new year from 5 6 september. Rosh hashanah is jewish new year the day when the year number on the jewish calendar increases.
And yet rosh hashanah is also a joyous holiday since we have faith that g d will grant us a sweet new year.