What is Rosh Hashanah? | Rosh Hashanah for Kids | Jewish New Year

Twinkl Educational Publishing

13 Sept 202302:46

Summary

TLDRRosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a time of reflection and celebration marked by synagogue attendance, prayer, and the sounding of the shofar, a ram's horn. Families gather for meals featuring symbolic foods like apples and honey, and pomegranates, symbolizing good deeds. A special ritual involves visiting bodies of water to symbolically cast away sins. This period culminates in Yom Kippur, a time for atonement and reconciliation.

Takeaways

📅 Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish New Year festival celebrated in autumn.
🕍 Jewish people typically do not work and visit the synagogue for prayers during Rosh Hashanah.
📣 A 'shofar', a ram's horn, is blown up to 100 times a day to mark the new year.
🏡 If someone is ill, they might have the shofar blown at their home.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family meals are significant, with candles lit and prayers said together.
🍎 Symbolic foods like apples and honey are eaten to symbolize a sweet new year.
🍞 Challah bread is dipped in honey as part of the Rosh Hashanah meal.
🍇 Pomegranates are consumed to express the hope for many good deeds in the coming year.
🌊 On the first afternoon, Jewish people visit bodies of water to say prayers and symbolically cast away their sins.
📆 Yom Kippur, a significant Jewish festival of atonement, follows 10 days after Rosh Hashanah.
🕊 The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is for Jewish people to be kind and resolve disputes.

Q & A

What is Rosh Hashanah?
-Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish festival that celebrates a new year and new beginnings, and its name means 'Head of the Year.'
When is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?
-Rosh Hashanah is celebrated in the autumn.
Why do Jewish people not go to work during Rosh Hashanah?
-Jewish people typically do not go to work during Rosh Hashanah to devote their time to religious observances and family activities.
What is the significance of the shofar in Rosh Hashanah?
-The shofar, a special horn made from a ram's horn, is blown to signal the start of the new year and is an important part of the celebration.
How many times can the shofar be blown each day of Rosh Hashanah?
-The shofar can be blown up to 100 times each day of Rosh Hashanah.
What is the purpose of blowing the shofar at someone's house if they are ill?
-If someone is ill and cannot get to a synagogue, they might ask someone to visit their house to blow the shofar to ensure they hear it as part of the celebration.
How do family meals play a role in Rosh Hashanah?
-Family meals are an important part of Rosh Hashanah, where families eat together, light candles, and say prayers.
What symbolic foods are eaten during Rosh Hashanah?
-Symbolic foods eaten during Rosh Hashanah include sweet foods like apples and honey, which represent the hope for a sweet new year, and pomegranates, symbolizing the wish to do many good deeds.
Why do Jewish people visit a body of water on the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah?
-Jewish people visit a lake, river, or the sea on the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah to say special prayers and symbolically 'cast away' their sins into the water.
What is the relationship between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?
-Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is another important Jewish festival that occurs 10 days after Rosh Hashanah, and the time in between is for reflection, kindness, and resolving disputes.
What does 'Shana Tova' mean and when is it said?
-'Shana Tova' is a Hebrew phrase wishing someone a good year, typically said during Rosh Hashanah.

Outlines

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🌾 Rosh Hashanah Celebrations

Rosh Hashanah is a significant Jewish festival marking the new year, known as 'Head of the Year.' It is observed in the autumn season. During this time, Jewish individuals typically refrain from work and engage in prayer at synagogues. A key ritual involves the blowing of a 'shofar,' a horn made from a ram's horn, which is sounded up to 100 times each day to signify the year's commencement. The shofar's call is so significant that if someone is unable to attend synagogue due to illness, a visitor is requested to blow it at their home. Family gatherings are central to the celebration, where meals are shared, candles lit, and prayers said. Traditional foods such as apples and honey, challah bread dipped in honey, and pomegranates are consumed, symbolizing sweetness, good deeds, and atonement for the new year. On the first afternoon, a visit to a body of water for reflection and prayer is customary, where individuals metaphorically cast their sins into the water. This period precedes Yom Kippur, another pivotal Jewish observance, and serves as a time for reconciliation and personal betterment.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish holiday that marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year. It is often referred to as the 'Head of the Year.' Celebrated in the autumn, it is a time for reflection, prayer, and the sounding of the shofar. The holiday is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and is a time for Jews to consider their actions over the past year and to look forward to the year ahead with hope and optimism. In the script, Rosh Hashanah is described as a time when Jewish people do not work and instead visit the synagogue to pray and celebrate.

💡Shofar

The shofar is a special horn made from a ram’s horn that plays a significant role in the celebration of Rosh Hashanah. It is blown in the synagogue to signify the start of the new year, with the sound reaching up to 100 times each day of the holiday. The shofar's loud and distinctive call is meant to awaken the listeners to the spiritual introspection that Rosh Hashanah encourages. In the script, it is mentioned that even those who are ill and cannot attend synagogue may have someone come to their home to blow the shofar.

💡Autumn

Autumn is the season during which Rosh Hashanah is celebrated. It is a time associated with the changing of the leaves, the harvest, and the transition from summer to winter. In the context of the Jewish calendar, autumn is chosen for this holiday, possibly as a metaphor for the cyclical nature of time and the opportunity for renewal and reflection that the new year brings. The script mentions that Rosh Hashanah is celebrated in autumn, setting the scene for the holiday's observance.

💡Family Meals

Family meals are an integral part of Jewish life and are especially significant during Rosh Hashanah. These gatherings are times for families to come together, light candles, say prayers, and share symbolic foods. The act of eating together is a way to strengthen family bonds and to pass on traditions and values. In the script, it is highlighted that during Rosh Hashanah, families eat together, which underscores the communal and familial aspects of the holiday.

💡Symbolic Foods

Symbolic foods play a crucial role in the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, as they are believed to bring good fortune and blessings for the coming year. For example, apples dipped in honey are eaten to symbolize the hope for a sweet new year. Similarly, challah bread is dipped in honey, and pomegranates are eaten to express the wish for a year filled with good deeds. These foods are not just part of the meal but are imbued with meaning and are used to express hopes and aspirations for the new year, as described in the script.

💡Apples and Honey

Apples and honey are traditional symbolic foods eaten during Rosh Hashanah. They symbolize the desire for a sweet new year and are often served together as a dessert or used in other dishes. The combination of apples and honey is meant to evoke positive thoughts and wishes for the year ahead. In the script, it is mentioned that apples and honey are eaten to make people think about the good things ahead in the new year.

💡Challah Bread

Challah bread is a special type of bread that is eaten during Jewish holidays, including Rosh Hashanah. It is often braided and is symbolic of the continuity of Jewish life. When dipped in honey, as mentioned in the script, it becomes a sweet symbol of the hope for a sweet new year. Challah is more than just bread; it is a cultural and religious symbol that is shared and enjoyed by Jewish families during their holiday meals.

💡Pomegranates

Pomegranates are eaten during Rosh Hashanah as a symbol of the desire to do many good deeds in the coming year. The many seeds within a pomegranate are thought to represent the multitude of mitzvot, or good deeds, that one should aim to perform. As stated in the script, eating pomegranates is a way to express this wish and to reflect on one's actions and intentions for the new year.

💡Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur, which occurs ten days after Rosh Hashanah, is another significant Jewish holiday known as the Day of Atonement. It is a time for deep reflection, fasting, and seeking forgiveness for one's sins. The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is seen as an opportunity for Jews to make amends and to strive to be kinder and better people. The script mentions Yom Kippur as a culmination of the introspective period that begins with Rosh Hashanah.

💡Tashlich

Tashlich is a custom performed on the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah where Jewish people visit a body of water, such as a lake, river, or sea, and say special prayers. They symbolically cast away their sins by throwing breadcrumbs (representing their transgressions) into the water. This act is meant to cleanse them of their past mistakes and to start the new year afresh, free from the burdens of the old year. The script describes Tashlich as a reflective practice that helps individuals feel liberated from their sins.

💡Shana Tova

Shana Tova is a Hebrew phrase that translates to 'Good Year' and is used as a greeting during Rosh Hashanah. It is a wish for happiness, health, and prosperity in the coming year. The script ends with the phrase 'Shana Tova' as a warm and hopeful message to viewers, encapsulating the spirit of new beginnings and positive wishes that are central to the celebration of Rosh Hashanah.

Highlights

Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish festival that celebrates a new year and new beginnings.

The name 'Rosh Hashanah' means 'Head of the Year'.

It is celebrated in the autumn season.

Jewish people typically do not work during Rosh Hashanah.

Devotion to synagogue visits and prayer is a key part of the celebration.

A 'shofar', a special horn made from a ram’s horn, is blown to signal the new year.

The shofar can be blown up to 100 times each day of Rosh Hashanah.

Hearing the shofar is an important tradition, even for those who are ill.

Family meals are central to Rosh Hashanah celebrations.

Symbolic foods like apples and honey are eaten to represent sweetness and good things in the new year.

Challah bread dipped in honey is a traditional meal item during Rosh Hashanah.

Pomegranates are eaten as a wish for as many good deeds as the number of seeds in the fruit.

On the first afternoon, Jewish people visit bodies of water to say special prayers and reflect on their sins.

The act of 'throwing sins into the water' is a symbolic gesture of atonement.

Yom Kippur, another significant Jewish festival, occurs 10 days after Rosh Hashanah.

The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is a time for Jewish people to be kind and resolve conflicts.

The phrase 'Shana Tova' is used to wish others well for the new year.