Rosh Hashanah – Welcoming the Jewish New Year

By: Marci Guttenberg, CWP, CPCE (NACE South Florida)

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, marks the beginning of the High Holy Days — the most sacred period in the Jewish calendar. It is a time for reflection, renewal, and spiritual growth, leading into Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This ten-day period, known as the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah (Ten Days of Repentance), invites us to reflect inward with deep introspection, seek forgiveness, and align our actions by setting intentions with our highest values.

The holiday's most iconic sound comes from the shofar — a ram's horn blown during synagogue services — calling us to awaken our hearts and return to a path of righteousness. Observance includes special prayer services rich with themes of creation, judgment, and hope, as well as the Tashlich ceremony, where we symbolically cast away our sins by tossing breadcrumbs into flowing water.

Traditions are as sweet as they are symbolic: apples dipped in honey for a sweet year, round challah representing the cycle of life, pomegranates bursting with seeds for abundance, and a "new fruit" to celebrate fresh beginnings. Candle lighting, festive meals, and time with loved ones anchor the holiday in joy and connection.

As we greet one another, we often say "Shanah Tovah" — "a good year" — or "Shanah Tovah U'Metukah" — "a good and sweet year." These simple words carry a profound wish: that the coming year be filled with blessings, health, joy, and peace.

Rosh Hashanah is more than the turning of a calendar — it's a sacred opportunity to pause, connect, and begin again, both in our relationships with others and in our relationship with G-d.

For me, Rosh Hashanah is more than a date on the calendar — it’s a time for reflection, introspection, and renewal. Gathering after services as a family — whether large or small, grandiose or modest — is something I deeply cherish. We come together, united in tradition and hope, to begin the year as one. That shared meal, those heartfelt embraces, and the quiet understanding that we are starting fresh together… that is the sweetest part of all.

About the Author

Marci Guttenberg, CWP, CPCE

Website: https://anaffairtorememberbymarci.com – or -  https://www.rsvps4u.com

Facebook: @AnAffairToRememberByMarci       

Instagram: @AnAffairToRememberByMarci

LinkedIn: @MarciHirshmanGuttenberg - and - @AnAffairToRememberByMarci

Hi Hello: https://hihello.me/p/fdec7734-bbf9-454c-8bbe-36b2cabb5a28