The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset tonight and ends at sunset on Wednesday night. I'm no expert in Judaism but I'll give this explanation my best shot...
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. Rosh is Hebrew for Head, Ha is Hebrew for The and Shanah is Hebrew for Year. Rosh Hashanah is also referred to as The Day Of Judgment, where God reviews the deeds of humanity which transpired over the previous year. God decides "who shall live, and who shall die... who shall be impoverished, and who shall be enriched; who shall fall and who shall rise." Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (tune in next week for info on Yom Kippur) are considered the holiest days of the year for Jews. In addition, Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of the creation of Adam & Eve.
On Rosh Hashanah we go to the synagogue for a good part of the day. No work is allowed. Throughout the service the shofar is sounded. A shofar is a rams horn carved into a sort of trumpet. It's sound is intended to alert worshipers of upcoming judgment. It is tradition to eat apples and honey to signify a sweet year. We always go to Bubbe's for lunch after the first day of Rosh Hashanah and have a giant family lunch together.
What does Rosh Hashanah mean to me personally? When I was a kid it meant buying new fancy fall clothes and being on my best behavior. As an adult I wish I could say that I feel the full impact of being judged for two days but I don't always. To me it's importance is spending time with my family and honoring God and my religion. I try to reflect on the year past but it's a very hard thing to do. I feel the vibe of Yom Kippur much more.
Another tradition of Rosh Hashanah is to ask you friends and family to forgive you for hurting them over the past year. This isn't something I always do but seems very fitting now that I have a blog. So, if I have said or done anything to hurt you over the past year, please forgive me. It's just human nature to hurt people, intentionally or unintentionally, it's divine to forgive.