CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – The Jewish High Holiday’s begin Friday evening, and the local Jewish community is celebrating Rosh Hashanah Friday night, into Saturday.
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, and for the next few days, Jews all over the world will be eating apples with honey, symbolizing a sweet new year.
Beginning at sundown Friday night, marks the beginning of the new year, 5784 in the Hebrew calendar and the first of the two High Holidays, which are meant to be a ten-day period of joy and reflection.
Rosh Hashana commemorates the biblical creation of humanity and typically Jewish people bring in the new year with various traditions including, eating those apples and honey, eating round challahs representing the circle of life and the year, and attending services at synagogue which are highlighted by the loud blowing of a shofar.
Bobby Naimark of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, tells 22News, “Bringing in the sweetness of the new year. It’s a time of renewal really looking back on what we have done in the past year and what we can do better moving forward to better ourselves and the people around us and how we can make everyday situations better.”
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the other high holiday, will start next Sunday night, September 24.
Heath Kalb is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Heath on X @HeathKalb and view his bio to see more of his work.
