Jewish new year 5784 begins Friday evening with Rosh Hashanah

(As originally published with additional photos, Fri, September 15th 2023, 2:17 PM EDT)

The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah starts Friday night at sundown.

It marks the beginning of the new year 5784 and is the first of the two High Holidays, which are meant to be a ten-day period of joy and reflection.

Rosh Hashanah commemorates the biblical creation of humanity. Also, according to tradition, it’s a time when God judges humans.

Jill and I extend our warmest wishes to all those celebrating Rosh Hashanah in the United States, Israel, and around the world.

May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life. And may it be a happy, healthy, and sweet New Year.

Shana Tovah U’Metukah. pic.twitter.com/r3RBCgrTJo

— President Biden (@POTUS) September 15, 2023

Typically, Jewish people exchange New Year’s greetings of Shana Tovah U’Metukah, which means to have a happy and sweet new year.

Others are along the lines of “May you be inscribed in the Book of Life.”

Some holiday favorites are apples dipped in honey for that sweet new year, and eating round challahs. There are various symbolic reasons for the shape of the bread, including representing the circle of life.

A highlight of synagogue services is the loud blowing of a shofar, a ram’s horn.

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the other high holiday, will start next Sunday night, Sept. 24.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.