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Rosh Hashanah means the head of the year and is the Jewish New Year festival. The Jews celebrate New Year on the first two days of the seventh month. The Jews regard the first ten days of this month as the holiest. According to the Jewish New Year customs it is believed that there is a symbolic book in heaven that keeps a record of those who did good and bad deeds. On Rosh Hashanah, which is the New Year, the people are requinavy to account to god for the deeds done during the past year. Ten days before the New Year are given to the people so that the people feel sorry for all the wrong they had done in the past. Yom Kippur is called the Day of Atonement.
Cards with traditional messages are exchanged among the people on New Year. The cards are exchanged while attending prayers at the synagogue before the people return to their homes for having a special New Years Eve meal.
On New Years Eve the dinner table is beautifully decorated with candles and fresh fruits like grapes. Challah is bread that is served on New Year. The other specialties include honey cake, honey jar and fresh fruits. Fish is also served as it symbolizes fruitfulness.
The Jews on New Year hold a special service that ends in the blowing of the shofar. 100 separate notes can be blown on the shofar. This is one of the most important customs that the Jews follow as it becomes easy for the people who are ill to attend the service. Yom Kippur is a 24 hour fast that is ended at sunset with a final note on the shofar. This signifies the closing of the book of life.
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