Rosh Hashana Stamping Tips

Rosh Hashana - The Jewish New Year

Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of the Jewish calendar month of Tishri. The rituals used as a part of this 'feast of trumpets', or the feast of shofar, is a festive feast. It is a Minhag (custom) during the New Year season featuring sweet foods is a symbol of our desire for a sweet year.

In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year." According to the Talmud, the Jewish scripture, symbolic acts are performed as a good omen, and also as an expression of prayer that the New Year brings good for all.

The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah ("for a good year"). This is a shortening of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or to women, "L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."

A popular practice of the holiday is Tashlish (or known as "casting off"). We walk to a flowing water supply, such as a creek or river on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins.

Another practice is to eat apples dipped in honey to symbolize our wish for a sweet new year. After the appropriate blessing on the apple, it is added: "May it be Your will to renew for us a good and sweet year." These foods are eaten as "simanim," "good omens," of success and happiness for the coming year.

If your Rosh Hashana (New Years) cards arrive late, most people are happy if a card gets to them any time before Yom Kippur!

This is usually the time of year that we give cards rather than the winter holiday season.

Some ideas for cardmaking for Rosh Hashana:

There are a few ways that people spell the holiday:

• Rosh Hashana
• Rosh Hashanna
• Rosh Hashanah

To give you some examples of cards for Rosh Hashanna, you can stamp using

• Apples
• Honey, or honey pots
• Bees or Beehives
• water/river scenes
• star of davids

Here is a listing of Rubber Stamp sets and companies that can provide sets that would be appropriate:

• Stampin Up! Decorative Country Apple
• Ruth's Jewish Stamps has a ton of Rosh Hashana Stamps and other Jewish Stamps
• Hevea Art Stamps also has a lot of Rosh Hashana and other Jewish Stamps

Some example sentiments:

• Wishing you a year of health and happiness
• Thinking of you on Rosh Hashana
• Shana Tova (or Shana Tovah, L'Shana Tova)
• May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life
• Make it wiht a mighty blow... L'Shanah Tovah!
• Y'hee ratzon Hashem sheh-tichadesh alainu shana tovah oomtookah. "May it be your will Hashem that you renew for us a good and sweet year."