Rosh Hashanah Celebrates the Gift of Free Will
Rosh Hashanah (September 23-24, 2025) is the Jewish new year , which takes place at the beginning of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. On this holiday, God reviews the behavior of all His subjects and decrees our fate for the coming year. Rosh Hashanah is a time of judgment, tempered with the great love God has for His people.
There are many unique customs on Rosh Hashanah such as blowing the Shofar - the ram’s horn - as a spiritual wake-up call, dipping apples in honey, to symbolize our desire for a sweet new year, and Tashlich, a practice that symbolizes throwing away our sins by tossing bread into a body of water.
The Jewish New Year also has special prayers like Unetaneh Tokef, which describes the day of judgement and Avinu Malkeinu, in which we ask God for compassion, forgiveness, and blessings for the coming year.
