Jews in Mumbai joined the worldwide Jewish community in celebrating Rosh Hashanah, a two-day holy period that started after sunset on Monday. The period marks the beginning of the year 5786 of the Hebrew calendar.
Synagogue Services and Rituals
Synagogues held services on Monday evening and Tuesday. On Tuesday, congregations observed the ritual of blowing the shofar or the Ram's horn after an additional religious service.
Significance of the Festival
Rosh Hashanah literally means the 'head of the New Year' in Hebrew. The festival marks the start of the ten days of repentance leading to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. For this reason, Rosh Hashanah is also called the annual Day of Judgment. Jews believe that this was the day when God created the first humans.
Rituals of Repentance and Reflection
The 48-hour period is a time for repentance, reflection on the previous year, and hope and prayers for the new year. On Tuesday evening, believers gathered near water bodies to toss bits of food into the water as a sign of casting away the sins of the previous year. "The ritual symbolises throwing away our sins," said Sinora Kolatkar, manager of the nearly two-centuries-old Shaare Roshon synagogue near Masjid station. About 30 Bene Israelis, a Marathi-speaking Jewish community, gathered at the synagogue on Tuesday morning. The day's festival menu included a sweet called chickacha halwa, a dish made from wheat flour, coconut, and jaggery. The Baghdadi Jewish community, a subgroup, held services at the Knesset Eliyahoo synagogue at Kala Ghoda and other shrines in the city.
PM Modi Extends Greetings
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished the international Jewish community with a message on 'X'. 'Shana Tova! Warmest #RoshHashanah greetings to my friend Prime Minister @netanyahu, the people of Israel, and the Jewish community worldwide. Wishing everyone a new year filled with peace, hope, and good health,” PM Modi wrote.
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