the buzz log

Happy Jewish New Year! OK, so there's no Champagne and party hats are nowhere to be found. But September is the Jewish January, signaling a new year, and a month of holidays. To complicate things, Jewish New Year always falls on a different day. Here, your crash course on Rosh Hashanah, the biggest Jewish holiday of the year.

Different calendar, different year
If you think you can't remember your wedding anniversary, you're toast for the Jewish holidays. Even Jews get confused. Here's the deal: Jewish holidays are based on the Jewish calendar — which goes by the cycles of the moon. Not to be confused with the calendar we use, which revolves around the cycles of the sun. The months don't exactly sync up between the two, so every year the dates are different. Rosh Hashanah usually happens between Labor Day and Columbus Day. Extra credit to everyone who knows that Jewish holidays start sundown the night before the date listed on the calendar.

When it is
For those of you sending cards, the new year is 5770. Jewish New Year starts sundown on Friday, September 18, and ends sundown Sunday, September 20.

Have a sweet year
Once you've figured out the days you're supposed to celebrate, there is good news: Good food is involved. Apples and honey are traditional, to symbolize the hope for a sweet year ahead. In fact, recipes heavy on the honey are a good bet — including honey cake, sort of the Jewish fruit cake.

More holiday madness
While the Jewish New Year is a time to look forward, Yom Kippur is a day of atonement, reflection, and fasting. The holiday falls sometime after Rosh Hashannah. So meanwhile impress your Jewish friends with a hearty L'Shana Tova (Happy New Year).

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