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In normal times, the two-day holiday of Rosh Hashana, which this year begins at sundown on the eve of October 2 and ends after nightfall on October 4, is marked by a host of festivities and fun.

This year, however, it is likely to be a somber one. 

The past year has been characterized by war. Firstly, in Gaza, which was a direct result of the horrific October 7 Hamas attacks. Secondly, in Lebanon, where an all-out war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group appears imminent. 

Although it’s understandable if you opt not to celebrate the holiday at all this year, we believe it’s important to preserve traditions because of the challenging period the Jewish nation is going through. 

To help you get into the mood, we scoured research papers, rabbinical writings and even a few web pages, seeking out nine facts you may not know about this holy holiday.  

1. Greetings

It is customary to greet each other with a Shanah Tova (“Good Year”) greeting ahead of the holiday. The custom stems from an ancient Jewish belief that whether one will have a good or bad year is decided on Rosh Hashana.

A 1901 Rosh Hashana greeting card that features Theodor Herzl and Abdul Hamid II, a former sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Photo by Ardon Bar-Hama from the book “101 Treasures From the National Library of Israel”

The first evidence of such greetings was discovered in the writings of the 14th century Ashkenazi halakhic adjudicator from Germany. By the 18th century, the custom spread to Jewish communities in Eastern Europe and began evolving, first through unique embellishments and later in the form of printed cards. 

Now, you are likely to receive such a greeting in electronic form, whether through messaging apps or email. 

2. Fish first

The Rosh Hashana meal is a BIG one. There may not be any glittering 12am countdowns as part of the new year festivities, but the holiday meal is usually enormous and the guest list can easily be 30 or more.

The first course of the Rosh Hashana meal is often fish, which is seen as an ancient symbol of fertility and abundance. 

Rosh Hashana literally means “head of the year” in Hebrew. In some Jewish communities it is traditional to eat the head of a fish (or lamb or chicken) during the holiday meal. Other communities don’t eat the fish head but display it on the holiday table.

The practice comes from a verse in Deuteronomy that reads, “God shall place you as a head and not as a tail.” 

The Ministry of Agriculture reports that on average, Israelis eat one kilogram of fish per month but on Rosh Hashana that number doubles. 

In the Jewish month of Tishrei, in which the holiday falls, Israeli consumers buy 800 tons of carp compared to 250 tons in each of the other months; 750 tons of tilapia compared to 550 tons; and 250 tons of mullet compared to 170 tons monthly during the rest of the year. 

3. Honey and pomegranates 

A biodynamic beekeeper working at Harduf Organic Farm, September 11, 2024. Photo by Anat Hermony/Flash90

Israelis consume 4,500 tons of honey per year. In the month leading up to Rosh Hashana, they consume 40 percent of that overall annual intake – a veritable honey overdose. 

According to the Honey Association, honeybees must gather nectar from two million flowers to make one pound of honey. That’s a huge amount of work.

As for pomegranates, the average Israeli consumes about 5.4 kilos of pomegranates per year. The amount of the fruit sold in the week of Rosh Hashana accounts for 15% of the amount sold during the entire year. 

That’s because the pomegranate ripens just in time for the holiday, and according to tradition contains 613 seeds, the same amount as the number of commandments in the Torah.

4. Never on a Sunday

The first day of Rosh Hashana will never be on a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday (this year, the holiday is Monday and Tuesday). 

Because all Jewish holidays begin at sundown on the evening before and end at nightfall of the next day, the modern Hebrew calendar is designed so as not to interfere with Sabbath preparations. As such, Yom Kippur cannot fall on a Friday or Sunday and that means Rosh Hashana – which occurs 10 days prior – cannot fall on a Wednesday or Friday. 

Confused yet? 

The Jewish New Year cannot fall on a Sunday either, so that the holiday of Hoshana Rabba at the end of Sukkot does not fall on a Saturday, which would make it impossible to carry out certain rituals associated with the holiday. 

The four days on which Rosh Hashana is allowed to fall are also called the “four gates.”

5. Come bearing gifts

Rosh Hashana is not normally associated with the tradition of gift-giving, but they are still very much appreciated. Edible presents, such as food baskets, chocolates or wine, are among the most popular gift types for Rosh Hashana. 

Some Israelis go one step further, gifting close family and friends kitchenware and homeware items. Instead of “New Year, New Me,” we prefer “New Year, New Things for Your Home.” 

This year, you can invest in gifts that help support Israel in such challenging times. Think blue and white for everything. Check out our story on holiday gift ideas. 

6. New year comes earlier than expected

Can you imagine celebrating New Year’s on July 1? 

Rosh Hashana may be the beginning of the year in Judaism, but it is celebrated in the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. The Book of Exodus specifies that the springtime month of Nisan should mark the new year. 

So why are we celebrating now? Well, there are many interpretations. Mishnaic scholars taught that the meaning of the seventh month’s Babylonian name, Tishrei, is “new beginning.” According to the Mishnah, there are four New Year days in Judaism: 1 Nisan for the ascension of kings and the rotation of festivals; 1 Tishrei for civil years, sabbatical years, jubilees and the planting of herbs; 1 Elul (or 1 Tishrei, according to another opinion) for the cattle tithe; and 1 Shvat (or 15 Shvat, as we celebrate it today) for the trees.

According to the Talmud, the first day of Tishrei is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve.

7. What about the shofar?

Rosh Hashana is considered a day of divine judgment, and the shofar (ram’s horn), is an important part of the holiday.

In the synagogue, 100 blasts of the shofar are sounded during the long Rosh Hashana liturgy as a wakeup call to repent during the High Holy Days and as a fanfare for the King of Kings.

The designated shofar-blower needs a kosher horn, meaning it has no cracks or holes, no cartilage and no added materials such as glue or paint.

Most horns are cleaned with special machinery but some believe the best method is to bury it and let the earth’s creepy crawlies eat away unwanted tissue. 

To keep your shofar clean and free of smell, modern cleaning tips call for vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Some recommend that the easiest way to clean a shofar is with fish tank gravel and a soft, round and pliable Nerf ball. 

No two shofars are identical.

To find out more about the holiday shofar, check out our story here. 

8. Two-days to celebrate

Rosh Hashana began life as a one-day celebration. But communication problems turned it into two.

The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle and a new month begins when the new moon appears. 

One might think looking up in the sky was evidence enough of a new moon, but the ancient rabbinic council in Jerusalem (and later in Yavneh) had final say on declaring the new moon and sending messengers throughout the land to inform the public. 

With a lack of cars, phones and computers, the news often arrived after the month had begun. By making the holiday a two-day affair, no one missed celebrating on time. The custom stuck even though in today’s world it is very easy to figure out when a new month begins.

9. Sing-along

Rosh Hashana may not be Christmas, but it has probably the same amount of songs dedicated to it. 

Even though Mariah Carey may not be coming with “All I want for Rosh Hashana is you,” anytime soon, we have Barbra Streisand singing Avinu Malkenu (a prayer associated with Rosh Hashana).

While the tradition of Rosh Hashana songs dates back centuries ago, most modern self-respecting Israeli pop stars have recorded their versions of such tunes. From Omer Adam’s “Hachayim Dvash” (“The life is honey”) to Mosh Ben Ari’s “Dvash” (“Honey”). 

Yep, there’s a theme.

At ISRAEL21c we would like to wish you all a Shana tova. May it be a better, more peaceful year than the last one. 

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