There are four Jewish New Years that commemorate different events in Jewish history and tradition: 1) Nisan 1 marks the Exodus from Egypt in early spring. 2) Elul 1 in late summer originally involved tithing cattle but now prepares for Rosh Hashanah. 3) Rosh Hashanah in autumn celebrates the creation of the world and the Jewish new year according to the biblical Book of Genesis. 4) Shevat 15 in winter originally involved tithing fruit trees and is now observed as Arbor Day in Israel.

1. 4 Jewish
New Years

2. First of Nisan
• Early Spring (typically in April). Nisan is the first month of the
ecclesiastic Jewish year
• Nisan 1 commemorates the Exodus of Jewish slaves from Egypt
• The flight through deserts and sea towards a promised land
would mark the beginnings of a Jewish national history and
identity

3. First of Elul
• Late Summer
• Observes the Torah’s ancient laws of tithing cattle for
temple sacrifices
• The destruction of the Second Temple (70 AD) was a
pivotal moment in history that informed a more modern
observation: preparations for Rosh Hashanah

4. First of Tishreh
• Autumn
• Also known as Rosh Hashanah
• Tishreh 1 draws from the Book of Genesis to
celebrate the creation of the world when God made
Adam and time began
• Put differently, 2019 AD (Gregorian) is the Jewish
year 5779 since first man

5. First of Tishreh
• Jewish High Holy Days start with Rosh Hashanah and end
with Yom Kippur; their intervening period (10 days), is time of
repentance.
• Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year. God inscribes the fate
of each individual in the Book of Life or the Book of Death
• Ten days of Awe: Sabbaths during these 10 days are
particularly holy. The Books of Life and Death remain open
and people can change their fate through repentance
• Yom Kippur: The Books are sealed (but fate is not sealed
until Sukkot)

6. Fifteenth of Shevat
• Winter
• Similar to Elul 1, Shevat 15 observes the Torah’s
ancient laws of tithing. This time, with fruit trees.
• Today, Israel celebrates it as Arbor Day; a day of
ecological awareness