The Jewish New Year, called Rosh Hashanah, marks the beginning of the Jewish year on the Hebrew calendar (a lunar based calendar). It celebrates the birth of the first human beings, Adam and Eve, in a two-day celebration that focuses on themes of renewal and prosperity. It also coincides with the start of Israel's agricultural cycle of sowing, growth, and harvest. Even though it is a festive celebration, it is less of a party atmosphere and more reflective and symbolic than most secular New Year's celebrations.
Rosh Hashanah celebrations tend to center around festive meals, with the table set with a broad array of symbolic foods that tie into themes of starting afresh. For instance, pomegranates are typically served as a symbol of prosperity, while a round Challah bread represents the circle of the year and the seasons. Many Jews also attend services on Rosh Hashanah, where the shofar is blown.
While many Jews choose to go to synagogue on Rosh Hashanah, you're allowed to choose how you want to celebrate. If it's simply a matter of leaving the house and getting there, or purchasing a ticket, then you can find many live-streamed services online for free. If it's synagogue itself that's putting you off, then there are many other ways to celebrate. You can host your own Rosh Hashanah seder, find meaning by reading relevant poems, or work through these writing prompts at home or in nature. Or you can start from scratch and create your own Rosh Hashanah ritual for free on Recustom. You're free to make the holiday your own, and celebrate in whatever way feels meaningful to you.
While the word seder is typically associated with Passover, the word simply means "order" in Hebrew and refers to a ceremonial meal with set dishes and steps. There are several holidays other than Passover when it is traditional to hold a Seder, and one of these is Rosh Hashanah. The Rosh Hashanah Seder consists of reciting relevant liturgical texts and serving various foods that represent some aspect of the holiday, such as renewal, the cycle of seasons, prosperity, etc.
There are many foods that are traditionally eaten at a Rosh Hashana seder, which either visually or linguistically tie into themes related to the Jewish New Year. For instance, the sweetness of apples dipped in honey represents our wishes for a sweet new year, while the traditional dish tsimmes features carrots, "gezer" in Hebrew, which shares a root with the word for judgment. Some other classic items include a round Challah bread and a fish head (not usually eaten) to represent the circle of seasons.
There are a number of prayers associated with Rosh Hashanah. Perhaps the most well-known is U-Netane Tokef, "We Shall Ascribe Holiness to This Day," which discusses various aspects of God's judgment of human beings on this day. Another famous Rosh Hashanah prayer is Avinu Malkeinu, "Our Father, Our Lord," a plea to God for mercy. In addition, Rosh Hashanah has a special Kiddush that mentions themes of remembrance, the shofar, and God's sovereignty. As with most holidays, we also say Shehechiyanu, a blessing to celebrate special moments that only come once a year or less.