L'Shanah Tova!
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins tonight at sundown. For those unfamiliar with it, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_Hashanah .
From bearsir, reposted with permission.
a friend wrote to ask what an appropriate wish for Rosh Hashanah was, and whether it was the sort of holiday for which one might send a card. When I finished writing back I realized I'd produced three fairly decent compact paragraphs that others might also find useful, and so I am reprinting them here.
Yes, many Jews send Rosh Hashanah (usually pronounced RUSH-a-SHUN-a by North American Jews, in Israel pronounced ROSH ha-sha-NAH, with the O in ROSH like in the word 'go") cards, usually with fall motifs, images of apples and honey, or other seasonal pictures. Happy Rosh Hashanah is a perfectly appropriate greeting; it's also traditional to wish someone a sweet new year, and, if you're close with someone, you might give them a gift of fruits, candies, honey, jam, or any other sweet food to go with it. In Hebrew, you'd say to someone "L'shanah tova" (leh-shah-NAH toe-VAH) which means "have a good year".
Rosh Hashanah is sort of the companion holiday to Yom Kippur (YOM key-POUR, again the O in YOM is like the O in the word 'go'), which always occurs ten days later. Yom Kippur is a very serious holiday - the Day of Atonement, when Jews fast for 24 hours and repent before G-d for any transgressions of the previous year. One does not ever wish someone a Happy Yom Kippur; the appropriate thing to say is "have an easy fast." When Yom Kippur (which, like all Jewish holidays, goes from sundown to sundown) is over, people very often eat a big meal all together. After Yom Kippur is over, you may say L'shana Tova Tikatevu (leh-shah-NAH toe-VAH tick-ah-TEY-vu) which means, roughly, "may you be inscribed for a good year."
The ten days between the two are called the "days of awe." Our tradition is that on Rosh Hashanah the book of life is inscribed, and that on Yom Kippur it is sealed, with the fates and fortunes of all written inside. During the ten days of awe, it is incumbent upon all Jews to do whatever they can to right wrongs, apologize for misdeeds, and make amends wherever possible with people they've harmed either by action or inaction, omission or commission. On Yom Kippur, you cannot ask G-d's forgiveness for anything for which you have not attempted to ask forgiveness or make amends for among your fellow beings.
From bearsir, reposted with permission.
a friend wrote to ask what an appropriate wish for Rosh Hashanah was, and whether it was the sort of holiday for which one might send a card. When I finished writing back I realized I'd produced three fairly decent compact paragraphs that others might also find useful, and so I am reprinting them here.
Yes, many Jews send Rosh Hashanah (usually pronounced RUSH-a-SHUN-a by North American Jews, in Israel pronounced ROSH ha-sha-NAH, with the O in ROSH like in the word 'go") cards, usually with fall motifs, images of apples and honey, or other seasonal pictures. Happy Rosh Hashanah is a perfectly appropriate greeting; it's also traditional to wish someone a sweet new year, and, if you're close with someone, you might give them a gift of fruits, candies, honey, jam, or any other sweet food to go with it. In Hebrew, you'd say to someone "L'shanah tova" (leh-shah-NAH toe-VAH) which means "have a good year".
Rosh Hashanah is sort of the companion holiday to Yom Kippur (YOM key-POUR, again the O in YOM is like the O in the word 'go'), which always occurs ten days later. Yom Kippur is a very serious holiday - the Day of Atonement, when Jews fast for 24 hours and repent before G-d for any transgressions of the previous year. One does not ever wish someone a Happy Yom Kippur; the appropriate thing to say is "have an easy fast." When Yom Kippur (which, like all Jewish holidays, goes from sundown to sundown) is over, people very often eat a big meal all together. After Yom Kippur is over, you may say L'shana Tova Tikatevu (leh-shah-NAH toe-VAH tick-ah-TEY-vu) which means, roughly, "may you be inscribed for a good year."
The ten days between the two are called the "days of awe." Our tradition is that on Rosh Hashanah the book of life is inscribed, and that on Yom Kippur it is sealed, with the fates and fortunes of all written inside. During the ten days of awe, it is incumbent upon all Jews to do whatever they can to right wrongs, apologize for misdeeds, and make amends wherever possible with people they've harmed either by action or inaction, omission or commission. On Yom Kippur, you cannot ask G-d's forgiveness for anything for which you have not attempted to ask forgiveness or make amends for among your fellow beings.