What is Rosh Hashanah? Jews celebrate New Year as hate crimes spike

Jews are celebrating their first Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, which took the lives of approximately 1,200 Israelis and prompted a massive uptick in antisemitic violence around the world.

The first of the Jewish High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah is a two-day holiday that began on Wednesday at sundown and will end on Friday at sundown. The observance is a time of celebration and self-reflection, and it begins the Ten Days of Repentance, which are the first ten days of the Jewish month of Tishrei.

“L’Shanah Tovah!” is the common greeting for those celebrating Rosh Hashanah. Many politicians are posting the phrase to wish their Jewish constituents a happy new year, including Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and his wife, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley , District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser , Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL).

L’shanah tovah to everyone observing Rosh Hashanah.

As we welcome 5785 on the Jewish calendar, let us come together in prayer for peace, prosperity, renewal, and health.

Heidi and I are wishing a sweet new year for our Jewish friends in Texas, across America, in the Holy Land… pic.twitter.com/Vda8OhBmdz

The holiday will end three days before the anniversary of Oct. 7, as nearly 100 hostages remain in the hands of Hamas terrorists. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, antisemitic incidents in the United States spiked by nearly 400% in 2023 while antisemitic hate crimes surged by 63%, reaching an all-time high.

Even worse antisemitic escalations have occurred in other countries. Argentina, for example, experienced a 600% increase in antisemitic incidents following Oct. 7, they rose roughly 700% in Australia, Brazil had a 961% increase, Denmark had a 1244% increase, France had a 1000% increase, and many other countries experienced larger increases than the U.S.

Hundreds of antisemitic incidents on college campuses have been recorded in various Title VI lawsuits, leading to the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights opening up investigations into over 100 colleges and school districts around the country. In the vast majority of these incidents, anti-Israel agitators are accused of having created a hostile environment for Jewish students at school.

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With the Oct. 7 anniversary just days away, pro-Palestinian protesters, such as the University of Maryland’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, have plans to demonstrate a year after the terrorist attack. The same group justified the massacre as “Palestinians rose up” against a “brutal occupation.”

Meanwhile, Jews and Israelis will mourn the rape, torture, slaughter, and kidnapping of over 1,400 innocent people and the maiming of over 5,000 more.