Rosh Hashanah, the New Year, Begins Friday

The "high holy days" begins Friday night for the Jewish community with "Rosh Hashanah" or the New Year. It's used as an opportunity to teach tradition. For the children, every holiday is festive

Friday, September 10th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The "high holy days" begins Friday night for the Jewish community with "Rosh Hashanah" or the New Year. It's used as an opportunity to teach tradition. For the children, every holiday is festive - a chance to laugh and sing. But behind the smiles and the symbolism is the very serious act of forgiveness and is the central theme of Rosh Hashanah. "According to our tradition in Rosh Hashanah, God decides about our destiny the next year," says Yehuda Katz of Heritage Academy.

So Jews wish each other a sweet year, symbolized by raisin bread and honey as explained to the children at Heritage Academy. "We ask from God to make this New Year sweet as honey for all the people in Tulsa, in Israel, in all the world," said Katz.
And part of that sweetness comes from asking forgiveness of each other. "We do that negotiating with God, and if we expect God to forgive us, then we certainly need to forgive others," noted Carolyn Silver-Alford. The Jewish New Year begins ten days of reflection, ending with a day of confession, called Yom.