A Non-Jew’s Guide to Rosh Hashanah

Chag Samach and L’Shana Tovah everyone!

By Rachael

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about (or even how to pronounce that mumbo jumbo), allow me to explain.

Wednesday at sundown is the start of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It’s one of the happiest and holiest days of the year, filled with fun (and a few…er….interesting) traditions. And a lot of praying. For those of you who’ve never celebrated before or are wondering why all your Jewish friends get excused absences from class during the first week (how unfair!), allow me to guide you through some of the finer points of our celebration (and show you that we’re not just playing hookie for no reason here).

And for all you non-Jews out there: if you can swing it, secure yourself an invite to Rosh Hashanah dinner. The food is good, the wine is plentiful, and there’s bound to be an interesting character (or 2) at the table. Here is everything you need to know:

The Deal: Rosh Hashanah, which starts at sundown and lasts for two days, is the start of the Jewish calendar. It’s not as big or booze-filled as the New Years you’ll celebrate in December/January (actually, it’s more family and prayer filled), but it’s a celebration nonetheless. We dress up, go to temple, sing, dance, and eat. It’s a time to celebrate the end of one year and look forward to another, complete with resolutions, making amends, and family gatherings. It’s also filled with symbolism, which we love. And food. Did I mention we’re big on food?

Apples and Honey: Apples and honey are a traditional part of the Rosh Hashanah celebration. They symbolize our hope for a sweet new year, the round shape of the apple symbolizes the circle of life, and honey was traditionally a reward for those who excelled in their studies during the previous year (sorta how we college students think of beer). Not to mention the fact that apples and honey are just plain tasty. Nom.

Fish Heads: Okay, so this one kinda grosses me out but, yes, traditionally, people do in fact consume the head of a fish. This is to symbolize that this is the “head” of the new year. Don’t worry, you can pass on this one and stick to the challah. Go dip it in some honey to cleanse your pallet.

The Shofar: Students at the University of Miami may recall a crazy guy standing in the breezeway in past years blowing into some kind of animal horn. Yeah, reading that sentence over, I do realize how ridiculous it all sounds. But it’s not. In fact, that was our program director, and more recently our rabbi, advertising for services by blowing the shofar, a ram’s horn that is treated and used to call people together to celebrate the holiday. The sound is supposed to awaken our souls to God, and the ram’s horn itself is reminiscent of Abraham’s sacrifice (when his faith was tested by God, who told him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, God sent an angel to stop Abraham when his faith was proven pure, and Abraham sacrificed the ram instead as a thank-you for being allowed to keep the son his wife Sarah had waited decades for. Gotta love bible stories.)

Tashlich: (Come on, there had to be something hard to pronounce here!) Tashlich is the Jewish tradition of casting one’s sins into the sea. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, we gather at the ocean, river, or some other body of water (technically it’s supposed to be a moving body of water if you can find one) and empty our pockets of the crumbs that have accumulated over the course of the year. If you don’t have any (because how many of us really store food in our pockets anymore?), or just want to make it easier on yourself, you can also just take pieces of bread and throw them into the water instead. The idea is that these crumbs represent your sins, and by casting them into the water, you’re cleaning out and starting fresh for the new year. (Note: for us college students, you might wanna grab a full loaf….)

Despite all the crazy traditions and such, Rosh Hashanah is mostly about togetherness and about celebrating a new beginning (with fish heads). Whether or not you’re Jewish, observant, or anything else, it’s a time to spend with those you love and to make a new start. So grab some honey, find some friends and have a happy new year, everybody!