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As Pasadena’s Jewish community prepares to celebrate Rosh Hashanah from sundown on Oct. 2 to nightfall on Oct. 4, local leaders are extending an invitation to all residents to join in the observance. The holiday, marking the start of the Jewish year 5785 and considered the birthday of the universe in Jewish tradition, emphasizes universal messages of renewal, reflection, and community harmony.
“Rosh Hashanah inculcates the fact that there’s one God for the entire world, not just for the Jewish people, it’s for everybody the same,” said Rabbi Chaim Hanoka, executive director of Chabad Pasadena. “God wants the same thing from all of us, and ultimately it’s a message that we all have to take to heart.”
The two-day celebration features traditional observances, including synagogue services and the blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn. Hanoka describes the shofar as a “wake-up call” for spiritual renewal and repentance. Shofar blowing will take place at 12:15 p.m. on both Oct. 3 and 4.
Services will be held at Chabad of Pasadena, at 1090 E. Walnut Street, and Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, at 1434 N. Altadena Drive in Pasadena. Both organizations are offering a mix of in-person and virtual options to accommodate community needs. Rabbi Cliff Kulwin will lead services at Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center.
Symbolic foods play a significant role in Rosh Hashanah celebrations. Participants often eat apples dipped in honey, representing hopes for a sweet new year. The Tashlich ceremony, another important observance, will also be part of the celebrations.
Chabad Pasadena is hosting a traditional Rosh Hashanah dinner, with tickets priced at $45 for adults and $20 for children. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for $360. Chabad Pasadena is collaborating with other Chabad centers in the San Gabriel Valley to provide services and educational opportunities.
In the face of global challenges, Hanoka emphasizes the importance of Jewish pride.
“I tell people very clearly, first and foremost, that they should be proud to be Jewish and not to cower in fear,” Rabbi Hanoka said. “No matter what’s going on in the world, no matter where they are, there’s nothing to apologize to anyone for being Jewish and the blessings that God has given us.”
The rabbi also highlighted the holiday’s themes of personal introspection.
“Rosh Hashanah is the time of renewal in which God judges, it says the entire world,” Hanoka explained. “We’re taking time to do personal introspection.”
Pasadena’s celebration of Rosh Hashanah offers an opportunity for interfaith understanding and community cohesion. The holiday’s message of personal growth and mutual respect resonates beyond the Jewish community, emphasizing universal themes of peace, security, and the ability to “agree to disagree” while living harmoniously in a diverse community.
For more information, contact Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center at (626) 798-1161 or info@pjtc.net.
You may also visit https://www.chabadpasadena.
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