Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, marks the beginning of the High Holiday season, a time for spiritual reflection, renewal, and celebration.
In 2025, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Monday, September 22, 2025, and ends at nightfall on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. Those two days are more than the beginning of the new year, they’re the start of a season filled with meaningful customs, rich traditions, and symbolic foods that have been cherished for generations.
In this guide, we’ll explore the origins of Rosh Hashanah, its spiritual significance, traditional foods, and the many customs that shape the Jewish New Year.
The phrase “Rosh Hashanah” translates directly to “Head of the Year.” It is both a celebration of the new year and the beginning of the Ten Days of Awe, which culminate in Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
When people hear “New Year’s” they often put the focus on parties and resolutions, many of which are abandoned before the end of January—studies show that 43% of resolutions are given up by the end of the month. While certainly celebratory, Rosh Hashanah carries a more spiritual tone.
It’s a time for self-reflection, repentance, and setting your intentions for the year ahead.
Though practices and the tunes of our prayers may vary across communities, our Rosh Hashanah traditions share the same foundation.
Synagogue attendance is central to the holiday. Special prayers highlight themes of repentance and renewal. Many communities use a special prayer book called the Machzor for the High Holidays.
One of the most recognizable rituals is the blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn. The blasts—tekiah, shevarim, and teruah—symbolize awakening the soul and calling for repentance. Traditionally, 100 sounds are blown over the course of the service.
On the first afternoon of Rosh Hashanah (or the second, if the first falls on Shabbat), Jews gather by a natural body of water for Tashlich, a symbolic ritual where breadcrumbs or small pieces of bread are cast into the water. This act represents casting away sins and starting fresh.
Like many Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah emphasizes community and family. Meals are a highlight, featuring a rich tapestry of Rosh Hashanah traditional foods that carry symbolic meaning.
When it comes time to eat on Rosh Hashanah, the food on your plate is more than a meal. On the High Holidays, food becomes a language of symbolism and hope for the year ahead.
Each dish reflects a specific blessing for the future—not just the year ahead.
As the entry point into the High Holidays, Rosh Hashanah starts a ten-day journey of introspection. This period, called the Ten Days of Awe or “Aseret Yemei Tishuva,” is a time to evaluate your actions, seek forgiveness, and repair relationships before Yom Kippur.
Key themes include:
Together, these themes transform Rosh Hashanah from a holiday into a spiritual reset.
Throughout Rosh Hashanah, we greet one another with “Shanah Tovah”—literally “a good year.” A longer version, “Shanah Tovah U’Metukah,” means “a good and sweet year.” These greetings echo the essence of the holiday: wishing health, happiness, and blessings for all.
Preparation itself is a vital part of the holiday experience. Many families:
By the time the candles are lit and the first prayers are said, the process of spiritual renewal is already in motion.
Rosh Hashanah provides an opportunity for renewal, connection, and hope. Through its traditions, symbolic foods, and spiritual practices, the holiday offers meaningful ways to begin the Jewish New Year with purpose.
As we enter the High Holidays of 2025, may we all be inscribed for a year of sweetness, health, and peace. Shanah Tovah!
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