Discover Rosh Hashanah 2025 - a time of spiritual renewal, festive traditions and symbolic foods. Learn about the millennial rituals, shofar, Tashlich and important reflections that make this day truly special

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a time of reflection, renewal, and spiritual growth. In 2025, this sacred holiday begins at sundown on Monday, September 22, and concludes at nightfall on Wednesday, September 24, ushering in the year 5786 on the Hebrew calendar. 

Unlike secular New Year's celebrations, Rosh Hashanah is deeply rooted in religious significance, marking the anniversary of the creation of the world and the beginning of the Ten Days of Repentance leading up to Yom Kippur. During this period, individuals engage in self-examination, seek forgiveness, and strive to improve their relationship with God and fellow humans.

We have collected everything you need to know about Rosh Hashanah 2025 in this article.

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Historical and Religious Significance of Rosh Hashanah

While the Torah does not explicitly mention Rosh Hashanah, the concept of a new year is introduced in the Book of Leviticus, where the first day of the seventh month, Tishrei, is designated as a day of rest and remembrance. The term "Rosh Hashanah" itself first appears in the Mishnah, compiled around 200 CE, where it refers to the first day of Tishrei as the Jewish New Year. 

The holiday commemorates the creation of the world and humanity, as described in the Book of Genesis. It is believed to be the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, making it a day of judgment and coronation of God as king. According to Jewish tradition, on this day, God evaluates the deeds of every individual and inscribes them in the Book of Life or the Book of Death, determining their fate for the coming year. 

Observances and Traditions Rosh Hashanah

The holiday of Rosh Hashanah has many customs and traditions, including:

1. Shofar Blowing

A central ritual of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, a ram's horn trumpet. Its blasts serve as a wake-up call to religious awareness and a call to repentance. The shofar is blown during synagogue services on both days of Rosh Hashanah, except when the first day falls on Shabbat. The shofar is sounded with four traditional notes: tekiah (a long blast), shevarim (three short blasts), teruah (a series of staccato blasts), and tekiah gedolah (a long, final blast). Each set of blasts carries symbolic meanings, such as awakening the soul and calling for repentance. 

2. Candle Lighting

On the evening of Rosh Hashanah, families light candles to usher in the holiday. The lighting of candles is accompanied by the recitation of blessings, including the Shehechiyanu, thanking God for sustaining them to reach this season. In many households, the lighting of candles is followed by a festive meal. 

3. Festive Meals and Symbolic Foods

The holiday is marked by festive meals that include symbolic foods, known as simanim, which represent hopes for the new year:

- Apples dipped in honey: Symbolize the wish for a sweet new year.

- Round challah bread: Represents the cycle of the year and the continuity of life.

- Pomegranates: Traditionally eaten for their many seeds, symbolizing the 613 commandments in the Torah.

- Fish head: Signifies the desire to be leaders and not followers in the coming year.

- Carrots: Often used in tzimmes, a sweet stew, symbolizing the hope for increased merits.

- Dates: Eaten to symbolize the wish for the elimination of enemies.

- Leeks: Represent the hope for the destruction of enemies.

- Beets: Symbolize the desire for the removal of adversaries.

- Gourds: Signify the hope for a year of abundance.

These foods are often consumed during a special Rosh Hashanah seder, where blessings are recited over each item, expressing hopes for the coming year.

4. Tashlich Ceremony

On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, it is customary to perform the Tashlich ceremony, where individuals go to a body of flowing water and symbolically cast away their sins by throwing pieces of bread into the water. This act represents the desire to rid oneself of past wrongdoings and start anew. The ceremony is often accompanied by the recitation of prayers and psalms. 

5. Greetings and Blessings

During Rosh Hashanah, Jews greet each other with "Shanah Tovah," meaning "Good Year." A longer greeting, "L’shanah tovah tikatev v’tichatem," translates to "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year," expressing the hope for a favorable judgment in the Book of Life. These greetings are exchanged during synagogue services, festive meals, and in personal interactions. 

Spiritual Themes Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is a time for deep introspection and renewal. It marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance leading to Yom Kippur. During this time, Jewish people reflect on their past deeds, seek forgiveness for their sins, and make resolutions for the year ahead. The holiday emphasizes themes of repentance, renewal, and the sovereignty of God. 

Rosh Hashanah is more than a celebration of the new year; it is a time for reflection, renewal, and spiritual growth. Through its rituals and traditions, the holiday encourages individuals to examine their actions, seek forgiveness, and strive for a better future. As the Jewish community gathers to celebrate this sacred time, they embrace the opportunity to start anew and to commit to living a life of righteousness and compassion in the coming year.

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