Rosh Hashanah

Our Synagogue in Mattancherry will be closed for  the Rosh Hashanah holidays for a few days from September 21, 2017.

Rosh Hashanah is the New Year celebration of Jews living all around the world. It starts on the sunset 29 the of Elul, the last month and goes on till the 2^nd of Tishrei, the first month of the year.

The celebration and festivities are in the memory of the day when God created Adam & Eve, which also coincides with the day Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac on God’s command.

The New Year also marks the beginning of the high holidays which extend upto Yom Kippur which falls after the tenth day from the New Year.

The rituals of the festival include the sounding of ‘shofar’ (the Ram’s horn, much like our conch shell in temples), candle lighting, special meals including ‘Challah’ bread along with sweet delicacies. No creative work is allowed on these two days.

The sweet delicacies include the tradition of dipping challah bread in honey instead of salt and eating apples with honey. In some places Pomegranate are eaten symbolizing the hope that the good deeds and merits in the New Year be as many as the seeds of the fruit.

Some traditions include eating the head of fish or Ram in the hope of being the head of things rather than the tail in the New Year.

In these days, God is declared the King of the world in the belief that the existence of the world depends on the desire of the God to have a world and those who acknowledges His supremacy assures a place in the world.

The high holidays include Yom Hazikaron – Day of remembrance, Yom Hadin – the day of judgement and Yom Kippur which comes ten days later from the New Year’s Day. The high holidays are collectively referred as Yamim Nora’Im.

The greetings on the occasion means “may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year”

Le Shanah Tovah tikatev vetichatem (for male)

Le Shanah Tovah tikatevee vetichate mee (for female)