I must confess, I was not that aware of the specifics of Rosh Hashanah traditions. After some research, I feel much better equipped to share with you my fresh knowledge.

What is Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. It’s different from the secular New Year on January 1, which is about over-indulgence, soon-to-be-broken vows to diet and football games.

Rosh Hashanah focuses on reviewing one’s actions over the past year and how God judges them. Jews are encouraged to make amends with anyone they have hurt or wronged and make improvements for the coming year.

When does Rosh Hashanah begin?

Rosh Hashanah 2012 begins at sunset Sunday, September 16 and ends in the evening of Tuesday, September 18. It is usually in September, sometimes in October.

What are some of the traditions of Rosh Hashanah?

Since Rosh Hashanah is a festive day, it’s marked with lots of good food, which include: apples dipped in honey (for a sweet year ahead), challah (a round version of the traditional braided egg bread that represents the circle of life), honey cake, “new” fruit (a fruit recently in season) and fish.

Another tradition on Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the shofar. Just like many other important ceremonies, the trumpeting sound signifies celebration.

Here are the absolutely lovely words of the Blessing for the meal:

In a world of famine we have been blessed with plenty. In a world of hunger we have been blessed with sustenance. May this be the year in which we share the blessing of bread with all who are in need.

If you’d like to reach out to a friend or  loved one celebrating Rosh Hashanah this Sunday, we have a celebratory collection of ecards for Rosh Hashanah.

L’SHANA TOVAH! We here at Doozy are wishing everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The boys in the honey Jacuzzi are in for a little surprise when dinner starts.

You can go here for more information on Rosh Hashanah: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Rosh_Hashanah/At_Home.shtml

Here’s an interesting video on the blowing of the Shofar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6iNXRVN-WE