Celebrating Jewish New Year in Cape Town and Surrounds

Raise a glass and shout: 'shana tova'

Rosh Hashanah starts in 2011 on Wednesday the 28th of September during sunset and will usher in the Hebrew year, 5772. If you're not Jewish, and you're too hip to just shout: 'happy new Year', you can wish friends and colleagues 'shana tova'. If you mess it up, they might enjoy correcting your pronunciation, but you can always come back to impress them with: 'shana tova umetukah', which means, 'a good and sweet year'.

The Jewish New Year takes place from Wednesday 28th of September, until Friday the 30th of September, and Jewish people believe that Rosh Hashanah represents the creation of the world. In the Torah, it is defined as 'zicaron Terua' – ‘a memorial with the blowing of horns’.

Rosh Hashanah is characterised by the blowing of the shofar. A shofah is a trumpet made from a ram’s horn and symbolizes the awakening the Jewish people from their ‘slumbers’. Hebrew greetings, like 'shana tova', are very important because, over the coming year, Jewish people around the world will be judged by God. During the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah people pray near natural flowing water. They throw bread or pebbles into the water, to symbolize the casting off of sins.

Rosh Hashanah not only celebrates the new year, but Jewish people also partake in two days of festive meals. These meals usually include apples and honey to symbolise a sweet new year. 'Shana tova umetukah!' Other foods with a symbolic meaning include; cooked tongue or, meat from the head of an animal or fish to symbolize the 'head' of the year.

So let us say 'shana tova' and enjoy!


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