ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It may seem too early to think about Christmas and New Year's, but sundown on Sunday will mark a new year for millions of people of Jewish faith.
Rosh Hashanah literally translates to "the head of the year." It's the Jewish New Year, combining a time of serious reflection with the celebration of what's to come in the year ahead. It also marks the beginning of the Jewish High Holidays.
"We start new and we start fresh. It's a great opportunity for people to reach out to friends and family members whether or not they were on the best of terms," says Rabbi Alter Korf of the Chabad Jewish Center of Greater St. Petersburg.
The holiday is rich in tradition, one of the most symbolic being the sounding of the Shofar, or a ram's horn. "It's meant to be a cry of the heart, a wake-up call," explains Rabbi Korf. A waterfront Shofar service will be held at Abercrombie Park in St. Petersburg on Monday for people of all faiths. It's a way for the Jewish community to share their traditions with anyone who is interested.
Another tradition the holiday is well known for is the dipping of apples into honey. "The reason for that is wanting to have a sweet year. In a sense we're saying a prayer to God and in our own hearts that we want it to be sweet for ourselves, our families and the entire universe," says Korf.
After Rosh Hashanah ends on the evening of Oct. 1, Yom Kippur will follow. It begins on the evening of Oct. 8 and ends the following evening.
Yom Kippur is the holiest of all Jewish holidays. It's also called the Day of Atonement. The day is devoted to repentance of all sins committed over the course of the past year. Jewish people honor this by fasting from sunset to sunset. They'll often spend their day in the synagogue for prayer.
To learn more about the Jewish faith and holidays, contact the Chabad Jewish Center.
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