Rosh Hashanah, also known as the Yom Teruah, is the Jewish New Year which marks the beginning of the Hebrew calendar year. It is a two-day observance and celebration that begins on the first day of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year, marking the New Year in Judaism. Rosh Hashanah initiates the Ten Days of Repentance or the Days of Awe, which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The festival also marks the beginning the cycle of autumnal religious festivals running through Sukkot which end on Shemini Atzeret in Israel and Simchat Torah everywhere else.

Rosh Hashanah typically lasts for two days and falls on the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, which usually corresponds to September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. This year, Rosh Hashanah 5785 begins at sunset on the eve of Tishrei 1, which falls on October 2, 2024 and ends after nightfall on Tishrei 2, which falls on October 4, 2024.

Rosh Hashanah 2024 Dates

Rosh Hashanah 2024 will start at sunset on October 2, 2024 and end on October 4, 2024.

Rosh Hashanah Significance

Rosh Hashanah is a time of reflection and renewal. It’s seen as the day when God reviews and judges the deeds of all people over the past year and inscribes their fate in the Book of Life for the coming year. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the New Year in Judaism and is the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman according to the Hebrew Bible, as well as the initiation of humanity's role in God's world.

The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is blowing the shofar (ram’s horn) on both mornings of the holiday except on Shabbat. Rosh Hashanah celebrations include traditional feasts that include round challah bread studded with raisins and apples dipped in honey, as well as other foods.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2024 12:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).