Rosh Hashanah—A Sweet Start
Festivity and finery. Anticipation and apprehension. Expectation and trepidation.
One nation, millions of members, thousands of communities—a shared experience.
Festive meals. Apples and honey. Round challah bread. Fish heads. Pomegranate seeds.
Synagogues packed with worshipers. Heartfelt prayers to G‑d, King of the Universe. What will be decreed for the coming year?
Clearing the slate—acknowledging and regretting past misdeeds, resolving to fulfill His will in the future—laying the groundwork for a good year.
Symbolic tossing of sins to the fish. Blowing the ram’s horn shofar—the piercing, urgent cry beseeching our souls to reflect, repent, resolve.
Family togetherness and traditional melodies. Community and unity. Celebration.
This year, allow yourself the full Rosh Hashanah experience—the joy, ritual and awe. Join millions of your Jewish brethren across the globe, as we pray for a year of peace and tranquility, healing and success, blessing and prosperity for ourselves, our families, our communities and our nation.
Shana Tovah.
Miriam Szokovski,
on behalf of the Chabad.org Editorial Team
P.S. Please use our High Holiday services directory to find an inviting Rosh Hashanah service near you.
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“Thieves!” shouted the Accuser. “They stole all my Jewish sins that I worked so hard to amass . . .”
Sudddenly the robber stepped up close to him and asked, “Do you know who I am?”
The sages say that all is in the hands of heaven except for the awe of heaven.
Which puts all the power in your hands.
Because if there is no awe of heaven, heaven is bankrupt. It owns nothing—not you, not your world, not anything at all.
That being so, the greatest power you have is your ability to surrender the delus...
