Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish new year. Its origin is Biblical (Lev. 23:23-25): "a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts [of the shofar, the ram's horn]." The term Rosh Hashanah, "beginning of the year," is rabbinical, as are the formidable themes of the festival: repentance, preparation for the day of Divine judgment and prayer for a fruitful year. The two-day festival, which falls on 1-2 Tishre in the Jewish calendar, will begin this year at sunset on Wednesday, September 12, and conclude at sunset on Friday, September 14.
Major customs of Rosh Hashanah include the sounding of the shofar in the middle of a lengthy synagogue service that focuses on the festival themes, and elaborate meals at home to inaugurate the new year. The prayer liturgy is augmented with prayers of repentance.
In many senses, Israel begins its year on Rosh Hashanah. Felicitations for the new year are generally tendered before Rosh Hashanah.
Yom Kippur, eight days after Rosh Hashanah, is the Day of Atonement, of Divine judgment, and of "affliction of souls" (Lev. 23:26-32) so that the individual may be cleansed of sins. The only fast day decreed in the Bible, it is a time to enumerate one's misdeeds and contemplate one's faults. The Jew is expected, on this day, to pray for forgiveness for sins between man and God and correct his wrongful actions against his fellow man. The country comes to a complete halt for 25 hours on this day.
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Population of Israel: 7,200,000
On the eve of Rosh Hashana 5768, the Central Bureau of Statistics announced that the population of Israel stands at 7,200,000. Of them, 5,447,000 are Jewish and 1,438,000 Arabs.
The population growth rate in 2006 stood at 1.8 percent, about the same as the previous three years.
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A call by the President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres, to join in prayer for the welfare of our soldiers in captivity
On the eve of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur 5768, I call upon you, our brothers and sisters, to join us in Israel and pray together for the well-being and safety of the IDF soldiers in captivity.
During these ten days of repentance, each and every one of us must remember that there are sons who will not be privileged to spend the Holy Days in their homes and with their families.
Their homecoming, healthy and safe, must be a first priority on our agenda and a goal, towards which the State of Israel and every Jew throughout the world must strive.
As in the words of Prophet Isaiah, “The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their head; they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” (Isaiah 51: 11).
May our prayer be answered speedily in our days! Amen.
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Message from the President of the State of Israel Shimon Peres to the Jewish Communities on the Occasion of Rosh Hashanah 5768
As we stand upon the threshold of the Jewish New Year and as I assume the Presidency of the State of Israel, I would first and foremost like to share with you my deepest and most sincere desire for the continued prosperity, security, intellectual wealth and wellbeing of the Jewish people throughout the world, and that of all those who seek peace and tolerance.
It is a time for unity - both at home and abroad.
Within the wider framework of the dilemmas and challenges we face in the new era, the Jewish people are called upon to deal with issues and questions pertaining to our existence, our role in global initiatives and the shaping of our own identity. For many years, Israel had been perceived as a global "problem". Today, global challenges are as much on the Israeli agenda as they are issues which trouble the entire world.
It is thus called for that we work together to address these and future challenges - not merely to respond to them, but to dream and to create... to come up with strategic priorities, as profoundly as our people have demonstrated throughout history... to believe and to carry out... It is only via the consolidation of our efforts - those of Israel and the Jewish people - that we may truly lend a hand to shaping the future and the wellbeing of our people.
Living in a globalized world, "reality" inevitably becomes a dynamic and forever changing phenomenon, within which different communities are faced with varying circumstances and challenges. The Jewish people must not neglect the importance of collecting the single voices throughout the Jewish world and combining them into a comprehensive and meaningful whole. Our responsibility, as a people, is to allow for all such voices to be heard.
We must, both in Israel and throughout the Diaspora, learn the art of sensitivity and wisdom, which may allow us to extract the potential embedded in such voices. Our aim, throughout this process, must remain to promote an intellectual as well as qualitative partnership for the good of our people.
It is an inherent part of the Jewish heritage to seek global responsibilities within the framework of Tikkun Olam. Despite its small size, Israel has proved that it is capable of creating a unique economy. Similarly, it has become a global pioneer in the realm of scientific development. It is crucial that Israel continues to carve out a role for itself in the sphere of global science and technology and to serve as a pioneer in the infinite search for solutions to global challenges in the fields of education, telecommunications, agriculture, global warming and more. The Jewish people throughout the world have been, and continue to serve, as the backbone to such achievements. Together, the State of Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora have the inherent potential to contribute to forwarding peace and prosperity on a global level in general, and to consolidating Jewish existence in particular.
In order to make the aforementioned aspirations into a reality, regional partnerships must be nurtured and all available natural and human resources wisely used, in a bid to promote regional economic development and education for peace. No opportunity can be missed and every lead must be followed, in order to promote peace among ourselves and with our neighbors. Simultaneously, we must take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of Jewish life wherever it may be.
The State of Israel deeply values the participation of the Jewish communities around the world in the process of ensuring its wellbeing. Of particular value is the continued participation of the Jewish youth of today, and the leaders of the future. While we must continue to proudly cherish the Jewish heritage and ethics of our forefather our sights must also be set upon our children - for we must pave the way to their integration and growth within the new age.
Indeed, we stand on the edge of the present. We still face all manner of challenges and the greatest is not to let galloping prospects pass us by. This is our resolve. This is our prayer.
With Rosh Hashana at our doorstep, I convey, once more, my warmest personal wishes to you, your families and your communities for a year of peace and wellbeing.
Sincerely,
Shimon Peres
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Message from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to the Jewish communities, on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah 5768
Dear Friends,
As we stand at the threshold of a New Year, I take great pleasure in sending you warm greetings from Jerusalem, the eternal and undivided capital of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is one of introspection and atonement. We must look back and learn from the year which has passed, and integrate these lessons as we look ahead towards the future.
For many years, researchers and leaders have spoken of the dangers facing the Jewish people - whether in the form of hatred and anti-Semitism, or because of the issues of intermarriage, assimilation and the erosion of Jewish identity and affinity with the State of Israel.
The State of Israel and the Diaspora communities must work together to ensure that the Jewish people continue to grow stronger and become more unified. We must encourage and support the next generation of Jewish leadership in this important endeavor. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, we have been partners in the Zionist enterprise, and we must now be partners in ensuring our future as a vibrant and inclusive people.
We are all Jews, first and foremost. We must never lose light of this, nor can we forget the central role the State of Israel plays in this identity. One cannot exist without the other, and we must work together to strengthen both halves of the whole.
Wishing you a Shana Tova, a year filled with joy, love and health,
Sincerely,
Ehud Olmert