Best Ways To Celebrate Rosh Hashanah In DFW

We love to celebrate holidays. And Rosh Hashanah is no exception. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year festival, held on the first (also sometimes the second) day of Tishri in September. It begins the ten days of penitence, culminating in Yom Kippur. The two-day festival starts on Sept. 13 and ends Sept. 15. Even if you are not Jewish, you can join in the festivities and learn about this cultural experience throughout the Dallas / Fort Worth areas.

Here are some great things you can do to celebrate Rosh Hashanah this year:

Attend the Jewish Film Festival of Dallas 2015. This film festival was designed to educate and connect individuals with the Jewish culture and highlights Jewish filmmakers. The festival begins Sept. 6 and goes through Sept. 30. The films will premier throughout Dallas, but will primarily be seen at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center of Dallas. A complete listing is available on the website. There are also other great events and activities for your family to enjoy.

Visit a museum to learn more about the plight of the Jewish people. The Dallas Holocaust Museum Center for Education and Tolerance is a great museum that will take you on a journey to learn more about Jewish history and culture. You will learn about the Holocaust and the connection Jewish culture has to Dallas. Also, there are exhibits which run continuously, as well as classes and seminars taught by Jewish scholars.

The In Town Chabad is an organization geared towards young Jewish people and provides a plethora of social events and gatherings to connect and grow. TIC, as it's commonly referred to, is a great way for young Jewish people to meet new and old friends in a great environment. There are dinners, parties and lectures in an atmosphere that is not as traditional as the synagogue. The guarantee is that visitors will leave feeling better than they came. The center is geared more towards young Jews who are post college and have no children.

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You and your family can enjoy sweet treats that are traditionally consumed on Rosh Hashanah. These treats include a piece of apple dipped in honey to symbolize the desire for a sweet year. Each dish prepared for Rosh Hashanah has specific a meaning that symbolizes sweetness, blessings and abundance for those who consume. There are some great restaurants such as Milk and Honey Market and Grill that offer awesome challah, as well as other kosher foods to enjoy during Rosh Hashahah.

Attend morning services at the nearest synagogue. There are many synagogues throughout the Dallas / Fort Worth areas which celebrate Rosh Hashanah. The morning services include candle lighting, the sounding of the shofar (the ram's horn) and the greeting of one another with Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim, which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." Some services also include visiting a lake or river where attendees can wash away their old flaws or selves in preparation to start anew for the New Year.

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