What festival celebrates the Jewish New Year?

Rosh Hashanah is the festival that celebrates the Jewish New Year. It marks the beginning of the Ten Days of Awe, which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Rosh Hashanah is significant as it provides an opportunity for reflection, self-examination, and renewal of one's commitment to spirituality and moral living. Traditionally, this festival is celebrated with special prayers, the sounding of the shofar (a ram's horn), and festive meals featuring symbolic foods such as apples and honey to represent a sweet new year.

While Hanukkah, Purim, and Yom Kippur are important observances in the Jewish calendar, they do not celebrate the new year. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, Purim celebrates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia, and Yom Kippur is focused on repentance and atonement. Each of these festivals has its unique significance and customs, but Rosh Hashanah specifically signifies the start of the new year in the Jewish tradition.