Rosh Hashanah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, September 11, and carries through Sunday night, September 13, ushering in the Jewish year 5787. For families across Los Angeles — from the Valley to the Westside — it's a time to slow down, reconnect with family and community, and start the year with intention. Whether you're a longtime shul-goer or exploring these traditions for the first time, here's a warm, practical guide to help you prepare.

What Rosh Hashanah Is All About

Rosh Hashanah is known as the "head of the year," but it's much more than a calendar marker. Tradition teaches that this is the anniversary of creation and the day the world is judged — a time when we crown God as King over our lives and recommit to living with purpose. It's simultaneously solemn and joyful: we approach the day with humility and self-reflection, while also celebrating the sweetness of new beginnings and the trust that comes with a fresh start.

The central mitzvah of the holiday is hearing the shofar blown — its raw, wordless cry is meant to awaken the soul, cutting through routine and reminding us to return to what matters most. Because Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat this year for part of the observance in some communities' calculations, it's worth checking with your local shul on exactly when the shofar will be sounded, since the shofar is not blown on Shabbat itself.

Halachic Basics Worth Knowing

A few widely-observed practices to keep in mind as you prepare:

  • Candle lighting ushers in the holiday both nights, just as on Shabbat, with the appropriate blessings for Yom Tov.
  • Two days are observed in the Diaspora, including in Los Angeles, so plan for a full two-day Yom Tov experience — meals, prayers, and rest from work both days.
  • Shofar blowing takes place during the daytime services (except when it coincides with Shabbat), and it's customary to listen attentively without speaking during the actual blasts.
  • Tashlich, the custom of symbolically "casting off" sins near a body of water, is traditionally done on the first afternoon (or the second, if the first is Shabbat). Many Angelenos head to a local creek, pond, or the beach for this meaningful, family-friendly ritual.
  • Festive meals both nights and days are central to the holiday, filled with simanim — symbolic foods like apples dipped in honey, round challah, and pomegranates — each carrying a wish for a sweet, abundant, and blessed year.

As always, if you have specific questions about your own observance — whether about travel, cooking logistics, or anything else — your local rabbi is the best resource.

Practical Prep Tips for LA Families

Book your seats early. High Holiday services fill up fast across the city. If you're not yet affiliated with a shul, Los Angeles has a wonderfully diverse range of communities to explore — from Chabad of Bel-Air in Brentwood to Young Israel of Northridge or Temple Beth Torah in Granada Hills, to Valley Outreach Synagogue in West Hills and the Chabad Russian Synagogue in Hollywood. Each offers its own flavor of community, and many are welcoming to guests and newcomers looking to experience the holiday in a warm environment.

Plan your menu ahead of time. With two days of Yom Tov meals to prepare, get a head start on shopping and cooking. Round challahs, honey, apples, and other simanim ingredients tend to sell out at local kosher markets as the holiday approaches, so don't wait until the last minute.

Think through logistics for a two-day holiday. Since Rosh Hashanah runs Friday night through Sunday night this year, families should plan ahead for candle lighting times, meal prep across both days, and how to manage any errands or work commitments that fall right up against the start of Yom Tov.

Make it meaningful for kids. Involve children in dipping apples in honey, choosing a spot for tashlich, or picking out a new outfit for the holiday. These small rituals help build lasting memories and a personal connection to the day.

Leave room for reflection. Amid the cooking and hosting, try to carve out even a few quiet moments — for yourself or as a family — to think about the year ahead. That inward turn is really the heart of Rosh Hashanah.

Wishing You a Sweet New Year

However you observe, wherever you daven, and whoever gathers around your table, Rosh Hashanah is a chance for renewal — personally, spiritually, and as a community. From all of us at LAJewishGuide, we wish the entire Los Angeles Jewish community a Shanah Tovah U'Metukah — a good and sweet new year.