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רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה
Rosh Hashanah 5787

The Jewish New Year

Rosh Hashanah (literally 'Head of the Year') is the Jewish New Year, marking the beginning of the High Holy Days — the Ten Days of Repentance that culminate in Yom Kippur. It's a time of prayer, reflection, and renewal. The shofar (ram's horn) is blown in synagogue, and symbolic foods like apples and honey represent the hope for a sweet new year.

September 21–23, 2026

Rosh Hashanah Traditions

How Jews observe Rosh Hashanah around the world.

1

Hearing the shofar (ram's horn) blown in synagogue

2

Eating apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year

3

Tashlich — casting breadcrumbs into flowing water to symbolize casting away sins

4

Attending synagogue for extended High Holiday prayers (Machzor)

5

Wishing people 'Shanah Tovah' — a good year

6

Round challah (symbolizing the cycle of the year) instead of the usual braided loaf

7

Eating symbolic foods (simanim) — pomegranates, fish head, dates, leeks

8

Festive holiday meals with family and community

Rosh Hashanah Food Guide

Traditional foods and where to find them.

Apples and Honey

The most iconic Rosh Hashanah food — sliced apples dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet new year.

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Round Challah

Sweet, round challah bread (often with raisins) symbolizing the cyclical nature of the year and the crown of God's sovereignty.

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Pomegranate

A siman (symbolic food) — pomegranates represent the wish to be filled with merits like a pomegranate is filled with seeds.

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Honey Cake (Lekach)

Traditional sweet honey cake served as a dessert or given as a gift, symbolizing sweetness in the new year.

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Tzimmes

A sweet carrot and fruit stew, often made with honey and prunes. The sweetness is symbolic of a sweet new year.

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Kashrut Notes for Rosh Hashanah

  • Rosh Hashanah is a Yom Tov — cooking is permitted on the holiday itself (unlike Shabbat), but only for same-day use

  • No work is performed on Rosh Hashanah; it is treated like Shabbat in terms of restrictions

  • If Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, the shofar is not blown

  • Wine must be kosher-certified; sweet wines are traditional for the holiday

  • The simanim (symbolic foods) should all be kosher-certified

  • Many families order catered Rosh Hashanah meals from kosher restaurants

Find Kosher Food for Rosh Hashanah

Browse certified kosher restaurants, bakeries, and caterers in your city.

Los Angeles

From Pico-Robertson to the Valley

New York City

The Kosher Capital of America

Miami

Sun, Sand, and Kosher Everything

Chicago

Deep Dish Meets Kosher Tradition

Brooklyn

The Heart of American Jewish Life

Lakewood

America's Fastest-Growing Kosher Hub

Teaneck

The Modern Orthodox Food Capital

Baltimore

Star-K Country — A Proud Kosher City

Philadelphia

From Rittenhouse to the Main Line

Houston

Texas-Sized Kosher Scene

Atlanta

Southern Hospitality Meets Kosher Cuisine

Dallas

Kosher in the Heart of Texas

San Diego

Kosher by the Coast

Denver

Mile-High Kosher Dining

Phoenix

Desert Oasis for Kosher Food

Boston

Where Tradition Meets Innovation

Detroit

Motor City's Kosher Scene

Cleveland

Heartland Kosher at Its Best

Seattle

Pacific Northwest Kosher

St. Louis

Gateway to Kosher

San Francisco

Bay Area Kosher Culture

Washington DC

The Nation's Kosher Capital

Las Vegas

Kosher Hits the Jackpot

New Jersey

The Kosher Corridor — Teaneck to Lakewood

Boca Raton

South Florida's Kosher Hub

Monsey

Kosher Dining in Monsey, NY

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Rosh Hashanah FAQs

Common questions about Rosh Hashanah 5787.

When is Rosh Hashanah 2026?

Rosh Hashanah 2026 (5787) begins at nightfall on Monday, September 21, and ends at nightfall on Wednesday, September 23. It is observed for two days in the diaspora.

What do you eat on Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah has many symbolic foods (simanim): apples and honey (sweet new year), round challah, pomegranate (filled with merits), fish or ram's head (to be at the head), dates, leeks, beets, and more. Sweet foods like honey cake and tzimmes are traditional.

What is the shofar?

The shofar is a ram's horn blown in synagogue on Rosh Hashanah (and during Elul, the month before). The Torah commands hearing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. Different blasts have different names: tekiah (one long blast), shevarim (three medium blasts), and teruah (nine short blasts).

What does 'Shanah Tovah' mean?

'Shanah Tovah' means 'good year' in Hebrew. The full phrase is 'Shanah Tovah u'metukah' — a good and sweet year. Other greetings include 'L'shanah tovah tikateivu' — may you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for a good year.

How are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur connected?

Rosh Hashanah begins the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah — the Ten Days of Repentance — which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Jewish tradition teaches that on Rosh Hashanah, God opens the Book of Life and judges who will have a good year, and on Yom Kippur that judgment is sealed.

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