At StoryPoint Group senior living communities, every holiday, milestone, and special occasion is an opportunity to bring people together. Whether we’re celebrating birthdays, welcoming a new season, or honoring a cherished tradition, our communities are filled with meaningful moments that give residents something to look forward to throughout the year.
For many Jewish seniors, Rosh Hashanah is one of those special celebrations. Rosh Hashanah brings families, loved ones, and community members together to reflect, celebrate, and honor traditions. It’s the unique and broad experiences that each resident brings that makes celebrating holidays like Rosh Hashanah in senior living communities so special.
What is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah, sometimes called the Jewish New Year, is a holiday that marks the beginning of the month of Tishrei on the Jewish calendar. Because the holiday relies on the lunisolar Jewish calendar, when it falls on the Gregorian calendar can vary — taking place in either September or October.
Translating to “head of the year,” Rosh Hashanah is a celebration of the world’s creation — ushering in a time to both rejoice and to reflect upon the past year and ask forgiveness for wrongdoings.
Observant Jews may spend much of the day in synagogue. In traditional observances of the holiday, a shofar — an instrument made from a ram’s horn — is sounded like a trumpet.
Many families enjoy festive meals together on Rosh Hashanah, featuring symbolic foods known as simanim. Some of these foods are round challah (for the cyclical nature of the year), pomegranate (filled with many seeds, as people ask to be full of good deeds), and perhaps most known, apples and honey (for a sweet and prosperous year).
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: How They Connect
Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the 10-day period of reflection and repentance known as the Days of Awe. The last of these days is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is considered the most sacred day in the Jewish year, when God decides each person’s fate. With the holiday’s spiritual focus, many Jews observe a traditional fast for the 25 hours of Yom Kippur, refraining from food and drink. Though the holiday has a solemn tone, it is not considered a time that is simply sad — the day ends on a high note with faith that sins have been forgiven. The shofar is sounded, and many people gather for a festive meal that breaks their fast.
Rosh Hashanah Activities for Seniors
For Jewish seniors celebrating, they may enjoy:
- Time with family and loved ones
- Attending synagogue
- Eating symbolic foods
- Wearing new or special clothing
- Observing specific regional, denominational, or family traditions
- Participating in a themed craft or activity
For seniors who don’t observe Rosh Hashanah, there are still some ways to be a kind neighbor. Some include:
- Greeting those celebrating with “shana tovah” (shah-Nah toe-Vah), meaning “good year”
- Extending understanding to those who may need a break from certain routines or work over the next few weeks
- Asking your Jewish neighbors about their religion and traditions, if they’d like to share
Celebrate Every Day at StoryPoint Group
At StoryPoint Group, we celebrate the people who make our communities special every day. From holiday traditions to everyday activities and community events, life at StoryPoint Group is filled with ways to connect, engage, and shine every day.
Whether you’re looking for active adult living, independent living, enhanced living, assisted living, or memory care, you’ll find welcoming communities where every day brings something to celebrate.
To learn more about what makes life at StoryPoint Group so special, schedule a tour at a community near you, or call us at 1-844-275-9990.
