Rosh Hashanah(ראש השנה) in 🇮🇱 Israel

Rosh Hashanah in Israel marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year and is one of the most widely observed holidays in the country. The two-day holiday is a public holiday, and workplaces, schools, and most businesses close. Even secular Israelis participate in many of the customs, making it a truly national occasion.

The sound of the shofar, the ram's horn trumpet, is the defining symbol of Rosh Hashanah. It is blown in synagogues during the morning services, and the distinctive blasts carry deep spiritual significance as a call to repentance and renewal. Synagogues throughout Israel hold services, and many communities gather outdoors for Tashlich, a ceremony where symbolic sins are cast into flowing water.

The Rosh Hashanah table is laden with symbolic foods. Apples dipped in honey express the wish for a sweet new year. The round challah, replacing the usual braided form, represents the cyclical nature of the year. Pomegranates symbolize the hope that merits will be as plentiful as their seeds. A fish head on the table signifies the desire to be at the head rather than the tail. Sephardic families add a simanim seder with dates, leeks, beets, and other symbolic foods.

Israeli streets fill with people wishing each other Shanah Tova, a good year, in the days leading up to the holiday. Greeting cards are sent, and honey cake is shared with neighbors and colleagues. The holiday marks the beginning of the Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, the ten-day period of reflection leading to Yom Kippur.

The Jewish New Year, a two-day celebration marking the beginning of the High Holy Days, observed with shofar blowing, apples dipped in honey, and festive meals for a sweet new year.