Rosh Hashana 2025 in the United Kingdom

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, marks a time of reflection and renewal. It is celebrated with prayers, the blowing of the shofar, and sweet foods like apples dipped in honey for a sweet year ahead.

Rosh Hashana: A Public Holiday?

Rosh Hashana is not a public holiday in the UK. Businesses, offices, and schools follow regular opening hours, though many Jewish people take time off to attend synagogue services and celebrate with family.

Rosh Hashana

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, has been observed for thousands of years and marks the beginning of the Ten Days of Repentance, leading up to Yom Kippur. Its origins are in the Torah, described as a day of rest, reflection, and the sounding of the shofar, a ram's horn. Rosh Hashanah is a time to celebrate a new beginning and allow individuals to reflect on their actions over the past year and seek forgiveness.

Rosh Hashana Celebration in the UK

In the UK, Rosh Hashanah holds special meaning for the Jewish community, though it is not a public holiday. Jewish families often take time off from school or work to fully observe the festival. They gather for synagogue services, where prayers are recited, and the shofar is blown to symbolize a spiritual wake-up call. While the holiday is not widely recognized outside the Jewish community, it is an important time of reflection and renewal for those who celebrate it.

The celebration of Rosh Hashanah in the UK focuses on religious and family traditions. Families come together for festive meals, where symbolic foods like apples dipped in honey are served to represent hopes for a sweet and prosperous year ahead. Traditional prayers and blessings are recited over food, and some participate in the Tashlich ritual, where bread is cast into flowing water to symbolize the casting away of sins.

For the Jewish community in the UK, Rosh Hashanah is a time to reconnect with faith, family, and community. It offers a moment to reflect on personal growth and start the new year with positive intentions. While life continues as usual for most of the country, the festival carries deep significance for Jewish people, helping them stay connected to their traditions and values in the modern world.

Who Celebrates Rosh Hashana in the UK?

With around 270,000 Jewish people in the United Kingdom, Judaism plays a significant role in the country's religious landscape. Major Jewish communities are found in London, especially in areas like Barnet, Hackney, and Golders Green, as well as in Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, and Birmingham. Jewish families celebrate Rosh Hashanah in these areas by attending synagogue services, sharing festive meals, and participating in traditions centered on reflection, renewal, and hopes for a joyful new year.

Rosh Hashana Observances