What is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah is one of the holiest days of the Jewish year. Rosh Hashanah is known as the Jewish New Year beacsuse in Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah actually means, "Head of the year." Many people confuse this holiday with the American New Year, but they are actually very different.. On this holiday, many jews go to synagogue. While Jews are at synagogue, they will hear readings of the Torah. No work is supposed to be done on this holiday, you must reflect on what you have done over the year and think about what you can do for the new year. A shofar is blown in the synagogue on Rosh Hashanah unless it falls on a Friday, which is Shabbat. A shofar is a rams horn that is blown somewhat like a trumpet. one-hundred different sounds of the shofar are made on Rosh Hashanah. A custom on Rosh Hashanah is dipping apples in honey. Dipping the apples in honey represents a wish for a sweet new year. Also on Rosh Hashanah Jews will eat challah, a loaf of Jewish bread.
How does Rosh Hashanah relate to the book Night By Elie Wiesel?
In the book "Night", the Jews are being tortured and forced to do things against their will, yet they still manage to get together to celebrate a holy holiday. In spite of this, Eliezer mocks the idea that all Jews are chosen by God. His view is that they only have been chosen to be massacred. Eliezer loses his faith in all things religous and can only think of escaping the concentration camp. Even on Yom Kippur, Eliezer eats when his religion says that he must fast. Rosh Hashanah shows that some of the Jews still have faith and will always prioritize their religon. The holiday also shows that the Jews will stay strong and thank God for choosing them as part of the religon. Eliezer even admits to a Rabbi that he no longer believes in God after what he has seen at the concentration camps. Even though Eliezer does not celebrate this holy holiday, it does not mean that others will not.
Rosh hashanah-the
Jewish new year
(Happy New Year In Hebrew)
A. Neijna
2