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Celebrating the High Holy Days

The History and Tradition of Rosh Hashanah

By Cara J. Stevens

"Because we are celebrating the day mankind was created, we are celebrating our place in the world and the beginning of time," says Rabbi Ronald Brown of Temple Beth Am in Merrick, N.Y. "It is an occasion where we contemplate how we use our time."

Traditionally, Rosh Hashanah is a time to ask forgiveness of our friends, loved ones and even enemies for our misdeeds over the past year. It is also a time to forgive those who may have wronged us, whether by design or by default. And just as when we celebrate the secular new year on December 31, it is a time to make resolutions for the coming year: to take more time for oneself or to make more time for others; to be more gentle with our children or perhaps to be a bit less permissive; to pay more attention to detail or perhaps to attend more to the big picture.

As in the traditional observance of the Sabbath, no work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. It is to be considered a day of reflection and celebration. Cooking, which is not allowed on the Sabbath, is allowed on Rosh Hashanah, which may explain the preponderance of food at each meal.

"The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah ('for a good year')," according to the Web site Judaism 101. "This is a shortening of 'L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem' (or to women, 'L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi'), which means 'May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.'"

Even Jewish families who do not celebrate by attending services in a synagogue often get together with extended family or simply mark the holiday with a wish for a sweet new year. "For our family, we don't want our children to see it as just another day off from school," says Alan Copperman, a physician and father of three. "We try to teach the significance of the holiday using stories in a language the children can understand and explaining the meaning of the traditions we practice."

Want to see more?

• Hanukkah: A History of Tradition
• Celebrate Hanukkah: Activities to Make, Play and Eat With Your Preschooler
• Transferring Traditions: Passing Down Family Traditions to Your Children
• Talk about it!