Rosh Hashanah 2025: Jewish new year 5786 begins at sundown on Monday

Blowing the shofar at Congregation Beth Israel in La Jolla File photo courtesy of Congregation Beth Israel The year on the Jewish calendar begins at sundown on Monday Sept with Rosh Hashanah services at San Diego-area congregations Congregation Beth Israel the largest Jewish congregation in San Diego and oldest in Southern California is holding services in its sanctuary and streaming them online for those who can t attend in person or live outside of San Diego Rosh Hashanah means literally head of the year in Hebrew It marks the beginning of a -day period of prayer self-examination and repentance ending with Yom Kippur which is known as the Day of Atonement The year begins at sundown because the ancient Jewish calendar is based on phases of the moon Customs observed on Rosh Hashanah include sounding the shofar a musical instrument made from a ram s horn and eating apples and honey for a sweet new year Tashlich another practice associated with Rosh Hashanah is a ceremony in which Jews symbolically cast away their sins by tossing pieces of bread into a flowing body of water with multiple congregations meeting at local beaches The annual high holy days come amid increased assurance at several synagogues because of concerns about rising antisemitism in the United States In Los Angeles the police and sheriff s departments are planning increased patrols around Jewish institutions during the period