How to Observe Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah Activities blend merriment and solemnity. It’s a time to enjoy with your near and dear ones, at the same time it’s the time to reflect, make amends and to seek blessings of God. And what’s more, it is believed that no one should work on this day, which means a whole lot of fun filled time to enjoy with your loved ones.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Rosh Hashanah is the time for family gathering, sumptuous feasts, and spending joyous time with your friends, parents, grand parents, siblings, colleagues and well wishers. And what is even more amusing is that it is believed that on this holiday no one should work, that means a whole lot of fun filled time to enjoy.
   
   Families buy new clothes for themselves and they also gift new dresses to each other. Fresh, beautiful flowers brighten up the rooms. It is the manifestation of the principle behind Rosh Hashanah that every one must try to beautify himself internally and externally.

2. 
    
   Jewish New Year Wishes

   It is the time to say Shalom to your old friends and relatives living away from home. They engage in heart-to-heart talk, intimate chit chats or simply say thank you, as they all gather around the dinner table or the near by brook to observe ‘Tashlich’ during the afternoon. It was not until in the middle of nineteenth century that sending greetings card became a common custom among German Jews and gradually it became popular all over the world.
   
   However Rosh Hashanah is not merely about fun and frolicking. It is the time for prayer, profound personal introspection and the time for rekindling spiritual sensitivities. It is the time for the families and friends to look back and try to rectify the felonies that they have committed. Family members ask for forgiveness and forgive in return. Flipping through the family albums and remembering the fond memories of yesteryears is how some like to spend this holiday.

3. On this holiday people spend most of their time praying in Synagogues. It provides them the opportunity to repent and pray for mercy to God side by side with their friends, family or loved ones. Married men dressed up in Kittel, traditional white attire as a symbol of purity. Likewise married women cover their head inside the synagogue. They pray and ardently listen to the ‘chazan’ which the rabbi recites.
   
   Jewish tradition realizes that man was created in the image of the God, which bestowed him ‘free will’, hence their actions are not controlled by any divine force rather they are responsible for their own actions and their consequences. They will be accountable for their deeds to God on the day of Rosh Hashanah.This awareness encourages to celebrate humanity with all its splendor, so by practicing ‘Teshuvah’ or repentance ‘Tfiloh’ or prayer and ‘Tzedakah’ or charity everyone strives to make the coming year a more blissful and gratifying one.

Resources

• Rosh Hashanah Information and Traditions

[dorigillman]

on 5/4/2009 i agree with the above commenter. you could explain some of the things you mention in simple terms. you also talk as if it is an orthodox perspective?

[chava812]

on 5/3/2009 A good introduction to those who know nothing about Judaism on things that occur on Rosh Hashanah, but could be lengthened and made more complete with a bit more on the how-to steps and notes about different observances depending on one's beliefs. Perhaps providing a wider range of resources could fill in those gaps - Orthodox observances, Reform practices,