Sundown on Sept. 11 marks the start of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, begins this week and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement. These two holidays are known as the "High Holy Days" in the Jewish religion.
The festival, whose name means the “head of the year” or “first of the year,” begins on the first day of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar.
Here is what to know about the holiday.
When is Rosh Hashanah 2026?
Rosh Hashanah will begin before sunset on Sept. 11 and end after nightfall on Sept. 13.
The exact date varies each year because it follows the Hebrew calendar, which begins with Rosh Hashanah
on the first day of the seventh month. It is almost always in September or October.
According to My Jewish Learning, the celebration of the New Year is the only Jewish holiday that lasts two days, both inside and outside Israel. It is called "yoma arichta," which translates to "a long day." This term reflects the idea that the 48-hour celebration can be seen as one extended day.
Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, marks the end of the ten days of repentance that start with Rosh Hashanah. It will take place from before sunset on Sept. 20 to after nightfall on Sept. 21.
Why is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?
According to the History Channel, the Hebrew calendar starts with the month of Nisan, but Rosh Hashanah occurs at the beginning of Tishrei, which is considered to be the time when God created the world. For this reason, Rosh Hashanah can be viewed as the birthday of the world rather than a traditional New Year in the secular sense; however, the civil year number increases on Rosh Hashanah.
How is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?
Many Jewish people attend services at synagogues and other worship spaces on Rosh Hashanah. Jewish congregations will recite special prayers, light candles and sing songs to mark the new year.
Some Jewish communities will blow a shofar, a curved ram’s horn, on both mornings of the holiday, unless it begins on the Shabbat, or Saturday, like it does this year.
Some Jews may also pray near a body of water in a Tashlich ceremony, while tossing pieces of bread or other food into the water to symbolize sending off sins.
Do you fast for Rosh Hashanah?
Jews will fast for some holidays, like Yom Kippur. But not Rosh Hashanah. The Jewish New Year is celebrated with "delicious festive meals," according to My Jewish Learning.
What are some traditional Rosh Hashanah foods? Apples, honey, challah and more
Rosh Hashanah celebrations don’t just take place within the walls of a synagogue. Many Jews will gather with friends and family to eat special foods and hold commemorations:
- Some Jewish people eat apples and honey together to represent a sweet new year.
- People may also eat challah, a braided bread, in a round loaf to represent the cycle of the year.
- Pomegranate seeds also represent the 613 mitzvot, or commandments, that are cited in the Torah, the Jewish holy book.
What do you say on Rosh Hashanah?
Happy Rosh Hashanah or Happy New Year are both appropriate greetings when talking to Jewish friends, family, coworkers or classmates around the holiday. You can also say "Shanah tovah," which means "good year" in Hebrew.
Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: When is Rosh Hashanah 2026? Dates, traditions and foods to know
