Festive period on from Sept 20th evening till 22nd September evening
Jews in India and across the globe will unite in prayer on 20th September 2017 evening to celebrate the Jewish New year ‘Rosh Hashanah’. Rosh Hashanah 2017 begins at sundown on September 20 and continues through nightfall till September 22 sunset. Rosh Hashanah actually means “Head of the Year.” According to the Jewish website Chabad.org, which explains the term further – Like the head controls the body, our actions on Rosh Hashanah have a tremendous impact on the rest of the year.
The tradition is to start the festive meal with apple and honey symbolic of a sweet year ahead. However the basic essence of the Jewish new year is about prayer and pardon. Keeping up with the tradition, Jews in the city both local (Bene Israel and Bagdadi) as well as Jewish expatriates will aim to visit the synagogue on the first and second day of the new year listen to the sounds of the ‘Shofar’ (ram’s horn) when its blown. Shana Tovah U Metukah, (wish you and good and sweet year) is the traditional greeting exchanged amongst fellow Jews.
Like in the past, special new year prayers will be conducted across Synagogues in Mumbai, Thane and other parts of India, namely New Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and also in Cochin, which has a dwindling Jewish population. The Chabad House in Mumbai and other cities will also conduct special services. The leaders of the community namely from the Bagdadi and Bene Israel and the the Rabbis from the Chabad in Mumbai unite to spread the message of peace and brotherhood on this occasion, which is the 5778th year of the Jewish calendar.