I have experienced my first official Jewish New Year and I was pleasantly surprised by both my experiences and my emotions. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the New Year and is a time when all who are Jewish are expected to reflect upon their sins and seek forgiveness. The ten Days of Awe, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is a period where friendships are repaired, people ask for forgiveness, forgiveness is given, and we think about how we can improve ourselves. Through reflecting on past sins and asking for forgiveness, we are hoping to be inscribed into the Book of Life for another year.

On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, I attended the dinner before services and had apples mixed with honey for the first time along with a variety of other Jewish delicacies. Aside from the realization that if I ate in this manner once a week for the next four years I could definitely become quite overweight, I was also very much aware of the sense of community. The atmosphere at the dinner was different from the atmosphere during services; very quickly the enjoyment was turned into subdued seriousness. There was no breaking out the champagne or mass parties held over the Rosh Hashanah weekend, but the absence of these elements made the holiday more meaningful. The services were beautiful, the company was entertaining, and the variety of emotions I felt over those three days allowed me to walk away from the experience feeling rejuvenated and hopeful. Actually sitting through the entirety of the services, taking part in the festive meals, and throwing the pieces of bread into the Genesee River to symbolize the throwing away of my sins left me feeling as though I was finally ready to have a fresh start.