Jewish New Year 2026: Holiday Times and Comprehensive Guide to Traditions

Rosh Hashanah 2026 (Hebrew year 5787) begins on the evening of Friday, September 11, and ends at nightfall on Sunday, September 13. Entry and exit times for the holiday vary by city in Israel: Jerusalem marks the start at 18:15 and end at 19:25, Tel Aviv from 18:31 to 19:27, Haifa from 18:25 to 19:26, and Beersheba from 18:24 to 19:26. The Israeli education system grants students a four-day holiday from September 11 to September 14.

Rosh Hashanah holds deep spiritual significance in Jewish tradition, encompassing four key themes: the Day of Judgment when God assesses all beings, the coronation of God symbolized by the shofar blasts and special prayers, the start of the Ten Days of Repentance culminating in Yom Kippur, and the commemoration of the creation of the first human.

Traditional customs include eating symbolic foods known as "simanim" on the holiday table, each accompanied by a blessing. These include pomegranate for abundance, apple dipped in honey for a sweet year, beans for growth, leek for removing enemies, fish or lamb head for leadership, carrot for good decrees, beet for removing negativity, date for ending sins, pumpkin for breaking bad decrees, and a new fruit to celebrate renewal.

Preparations involve spiritual practices such as reciting extended penitential prayers (Selichot), annulment of vows, visiting graves of righteous figures, and personal rituals like haircuts, immersion in a mikveh, and lighting candles before sunset. Families prepare festive meals featuring the symbolic foods and conduct special prayers including the shofar blowing and the Tashlich ceremony by flowing water to symbolically cast away sins.

Additional guidance addresses common questions about customs, including the permissibility of makeup, alternatives for dietary restrictions, and options for prayer if unable to attend synagogue. Emphasis is placed on charity, with teachings from the Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraging regular tithing and acts of kindness throughout the new year. The holiday schedule and practices aim to foster spiritual renewal and communal unity as the Jewish people enter the new year.