September 11, 2026 — Jewish New Year: Traditions and Symbols of Rosh Hashanah
In 2026, the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, begins at sunset on September 11 and will last until nightfall on September 13. According to the Jewish calendar, this marks the beginning of the year 5787, and the holiday itself marks the start of the Ten Days of Repentance, which culminate in Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is not just a celebration of the New Year, but a time for prayer, reflection on the past, reconciliation with loved ones, and wishes for a good and “sweet” year.
Rosh Hashanah is celebrated at the beginning of the month of Tishrei according to the Jewish calendar. In 2026, the holiday begins on Friday evening, September 11, at sunset. It will end after nightfall on Sunday, September 13. Thus, the celebration spans two days—the 1st and 2nd of Tishrei—but according to Jewish tradition, the day begins in the evening, not at midnight.
According to the Jewish calendar, the year 5787 will begin at that moment. This means that September 11, 2026, will be both the last day of the year 5786 and the beginning of the new one. That is why the celebration begins in the evening of September 11, rather than in the morning of the following day. There is another unique feature specific to the year 2026. The first day of Rosh Hashanah, September 12, falls on Shabbat, so the traditional shofar blowing will not take place on that day. The main shofar blowing will take place on Sunday, September 13, the second day of the holiday.
What Does the Name Rosh Hashanah Mean?
The name Rosh Hashanah literally translates from Hebrew as “head of the year.” It is the Jewish New Year, but its significance is much broader than simply a change of date on the calendar. The holiday is associated with prayer, self-reflection, accountability for one’s actions, and hope for a good coming year. In Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah is also linked to the creation of humankind. For this reason, the holiday is sometimes called the birthday of the world or the day of the creation of Adam and Eve. During this time, people reflect on the past year—what they did right and what they need to ask forgiveness for.
That is why Rosh Hashanah has a rather special atmosphere. There is a festive dinner, sweets, gifts, and greetings, but at the same time, a great deal of attention is paid to prayer and introspection. It is a holiday of joy, but not a boisterous party for the sake of entertainment.
The Origins of Rosh Hashanah
The roots of Rosh Hashanah go back to biblical times. In the Torah, the first day of the seventh month is described as a special day of rest and sacred assembly, when the shofar was to be blown. In the Book of Leviticus, this day is called a day of remembrance and blowing the shofar, and in the Book of Numbers—a day of sounding the shofar. Interestingly, the name “Rosh Hashanah” itself is not the oldest name for this holiday. In biblical texts, it is associated primarily with Yom Trovah, that is, the Day of Blowing. The name Rosh Hashanah became common much later, approximately during the period when the rabbinic tradition was taking shape.
In ancient times, the Jewish calendar actually had several different “New Years,” each with its own significance. For example, the 1st of Nisan was used to count the years of kings’ reigns and for other calendar purposes. Gradually, the first day of Tishrei came to hold special significance as the beginning of the new year in a religious and spiritual sense. Therefore, the modern Rosh Hashanah is the result of the long-term development of Jewish calendar and religious traditions. It is not a holiday that emerged in any one specific year. Its modern form has evolved over the centuries.
Why Is Rosh Hashanah Celebrated in the Fall?
For many people, it is unusual that the Jewish New Year falls not in January, but in September or early October. The reason lies in the peculiarities of the Jewish calendar. Rosh Hashanah falls on the first and second days of the month of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the Jewish year. Historically, the start of the year in the fall may have been linked to the natural and agricultural cycles of the ancient Near East. Fall was a time of completing the harvest and transitioning to a new season. Researchers have also found evidence of various traditions regarding the beginning of the year in ancient Israel.
But over time, Rosh Hashanah took on primarily a spiritual significance. The autumn start of the year became a time to reflect on one’s actions and prepare for the next major holiday—Yom Kippur. Therefore, the September New Year makes sense within the Jewish tradition, even if it differs from the familiar Gregorian calendar.
The main symbol of the holiday is the shofar
One of the most famous symbols of Rosh Hashanah is the shofar, a special horn that is blown during festive services. It is most often made from a ram’s horn. Its sound is one of the holiday’s central traditions and is meant to remind people of the need to pause and reflect on their lives. The shofar is mentioned as far back as the biblical texts. The Torah specifically designates the seventh day of the seventh month as a time for a special blowing of the shofar. Over time, in rabbinic tradition, the sound of the shofar became one of the main symbols of Rosh Hashanah.
The sound of the shofar is not perceived merely as a musical signal. It is often referred to as a kind of spiritual “wake-up call.” It is meant to awaken a person in a figurative sense, to reflect on their actions, to ask for forgiveness, and to consider what can be changed in the coming year. In a typical year, the shofar is blown in the synagogue on both days of Rosh Hashanah. But 2026 is an exception: September 12 falls on Shabbat, so the shofar will not be blown on that day, and the main blowing will take place on September 13.
Apples with Honey and Wishes for a Sweet Year
Perhaps the most famous culinary tradition of Rosh Hashanah is an apple dipped in honey. People eat it during the festive dinner, wishing themselves and their loved ones a good and “sweet” year. That is why honey and apples have become some of the holiday’s main symbols. This tradition is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. It developed over the centuries and became particularly established among Ashkenazi Jews. Honey was one of the most common and readily available sweet foods, so it naturally became a symbol of the wish for a sweet future.
Before eating an apple with honey, people may recite a special blessing and express their wishes. The meaning is simple: people hope that the coming year will be good, happy, and prosperous. This is the origin of the popular greeting “Shana Tova u-Metuka,” meaning “a good and sweet year.” In this way, people wish each other not just a successful calendar year, but a year filled with good events and pleasant moments.
Why Is There a Round Challa on the Table?
Another characteristic symbol of Rosh Hashanah is the round challah, the traditional Jewish holiday bread. Throughout the year, challah is often shaped like a loaf, but on Rosh Hashanah, it is baked round. There are several explanations for this shape. The circle may symbolize the continuous cycle of the year and the changing of the seasons. It also serves as a reminder of the constant flow of life and the opportunity to start anew. Another common explanation links the round challah to a crown as a symbol of God’s reign.
During the festive meal, the bread may be dipped in honey instead of the traditional salt. In this way, even a simple part of the dinner becomes a symbolic wish for a sweet year. In some families, raisins or other sweet ingredients are added to the challah. Recipes and customs may vary depending on the country, family, and Jewish tradition, but the round shape remains one of the most recognizable symbols of Rosh Hashanah.
What Other Foods Are Eaten on Rosh Hashanah
The festive table on Rosh Hashanah can vary greatly. In many families, in addition to apples and honey, pomegranates are served. Their numerous seeds are symbolically associated with an abundance of good deeds and blessings in the coming year. Sephardic Jewish communities have their own special traditions. There, it is customary to prepare a whole array of symbolic foods, each associated with a specific wish for the future. These may include dates, pumpkin, leeks, beets, legumes, and other foods.
In some families, a fish head is placed on the table. This is associated with the wish to be “the head, not the tail”—that is, to be among those who lead, not those who lag behind. Such symbolic dishes are particularly interesting because they transform an ordinary dinner into a unique conversation about the future. At the same time, there is no single universal menu for all Jews. Traditions vary among Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and other communities. Therefore, a festive table in a family from Ukraine, Israel, the United States, or Morocco may look completely different.
What Is Tashlich
Another well-known Rosh Hashanah tradition is Tashlich. People typically go to a river, lake, sea, or other body of water and recite special prayers. The gesture itself is symbolically linked to the desire to rid oneself of past mistakes and leave them behind. The name comes from the idea of “casting off” or “throwing away” sins. In this way, a person does not simply ask for forgiveness but symbolically refuses to carry their mistakes into the new year. This captures the overall meaning of Rosh Hashanah—to look back, draw conclusions, and begin a new chapter.
The tradition of Tashlich has a long history, although its modern form developed much later than the biblical prescriptions. One of the earliest written descriptions of this custom is considered to be the work of Rabbi Mahari’el, who lived in Germany around the 15th century. In 2026, Tashlich will be held on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, September 13, since the first day falls on Shabbat.
How the Festive Dinner Takes Place
Rosh Hashanah begins in the evening, so the first festive meal takes place after sunset on September 11. Before dinner, festive candles are lit, blessings are recited, Kiddush is made over wine or grape juice, and then the festive meal begins. Family and loved ones gather around the table. People greet one another, wishing each other health, peace, prosperity, and a good year. After the traditional blessings, symbolic foods are served—first and foremost, apples with honey and a round challah.
But the dinner doesn’t have to be the same in every family. Different communities have their own recipes and customs. For some, the main dishes will be apples with honey and pomegranates, while others will prepare a whole array of symbolic foods. What matters most is not a specific dish, but the very moment of welcoming the New Year together with loved ones. Rosh Hashanah offers an opportunity to spend time with family and, at the same time, reflect on what you hope the coming year will bring.
Why Rosh Hashanah Is Associated with Repentance
One of the main features of Rosh Hashanah is not just celebration, but also self-reflection. People reflect on their actions over the past year, think about their mistakes, and try to mend relationships with others. In Jewish tradition, the concept of teshuvah is used for this purpose, which can be translated as “return” or “returning to the right path.” Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a ten-day period that ends with Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement. These days are called the Ten Days of Repentance or the Days of Awe. They are considered a time when it is especially important to ask for forgiveness and reflect on one’s actions.
That is why, during this period, people may call relatives or friends with whom they’ve had conflicts to ask for forgiveness and try to make amends. The idea is not simply to say the right words, but to genuinely change one’s behavior. In this way, Rosh Hashanah becomes a kind of fresh start. People don’t just turn the page of the calendar; they try to figure out what to leave in the past and what to carry forward into the new year.
What Greetings Are Used on Rosh Hashanah
The most common greeting is “Shana Tova,” which means “a good year.” People also often say “Shana Tova u-metuka”—“a good and sweet year.” This is one of the most well-known wishes for Rosh Hashanah. There is also a longer, more traditional blessing, the meaning of which can be rendered as “may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.” It is linked to the traditional view of Rosh Hashanah as a time of judgment and the determination of a person’s fate for the coming year.
Today, people also send each other postcards, messages, and festive photos. These often feature apples, honey, pomegranates, a shofar, and a festive table. All of these have become recognizable symbols of the Jewish New Year.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
Rosh Hashanah does not exist in isolation from the subsequent autumn holidays. It marks the beginning of a special period in the Jewish calendar known as the High Holy Days or the Days of Awe. Ten days after Rosh Hashanah begins, Yom Kippur arrives. If Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a period of reflection, then Yom Kippur is its culmination. During this time, prayer, repentance, and fasting take center stage. Thus, there is a direct spiritual connection between the two holidays.
This period can be viewed, in a sense, as a journey from a new beginning to a final reckoning. First, a person reflects on the past year, acknowledges their mistakes, and asks for a good year ahead. Then they continue this process over the next ten days.
Interesting Facts About Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah begins in the evening. Like other Jewish holidays, it begins at sunset, so in 2026, the celebration will start on the evening of September 11.
The year 5787 will begin in 2026. According to the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah 2026 falls on the 1st–2nd of Tishrei 5787.
The holiday has several ancient names. In the Torah, it is not directly referred to as Rosh Hashanah. Instead, it is described using terms associated with the day of blowing the shofar and the holy day. The name “Rosh Hashanah” became established later.
The shofar is not merely a musical instrument. Its sound is meant to remind people of the need to pause, reflect on their actions, and change. That is why it is considered the primary auditory symbol of the holiday.
An apple with honey is not a biblical commandment. It is an ancient custom that has developed in Jewish communities over the centuries. It symbolizes the wish for a sweet and good year.
In 2026, the first day of the holiday falls on Shabbat. Because of this, the shofar will not be blown on September 12; instead, the main blowing of the shofar will take place on September 13.
Rosh Hashanah is not just the New Year. It marks the beginning of a ten-day period that concludes with Yom Kippur. That is why the holiday combines the joy of a new beginning with serious reflection on the past year.
Why Rosh Hashanah Is Important
Rosh Hashanah is special because it combines family joy, ancient traditions, and deep spiritual meaning in a single holiday. There’s a festive dinner, sweet apples with honey, pomegranates, round challah, gatherings with loved ones, and greetings. But at the same time, people pray, listen to the shofar, and reflect on their actions. This holiday reminds us that the new year can be seen as more than just a new date on the calendar. It’s an opportunity to pause, reflect on the past months, and honestly ask ourselves what went well and what we’d like to change.
For many people, Rosh Hashanah is also a time of reconciliation. Asking for forgiveness, letting go of old grievances, mending relationships with loved ones, or simply saying the right words—all of this aligns with the holiday’s central theme. That is why Rosh Hashanah is more than just the Jewish New Year. It is a time of new beginnings, when, along with wishes for a “sweet year,” people try to leave old mistakes behind and enter the new year with clearer thoughts, good intentions, and hope for the better.
In Uman, during the celebration of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Israeli law enforcement officers, together with their Ukrainian colleagues, will ensure order and security in the area where the Bratslav Hasidim live and gather for their pilgrimage.
Pilgrims are expected to arrive in Uman on September 11–13 for the Rosh Hashanah celebrations. Local authorities are already coordinating security measures, medical services, and transportation, taking into account the conditions of martial law.
In the Cherkasy region, preparations have begun for the annual Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman for Rosh Hashanah. This year, more than 40,000 pilgrims are expected to arrive; due to the suspension of air travel, they will travel to Ukraine by land.
