The Jewish Community of Dnipro celebrated the arrival of the year 5787 – the holiday of Rosh Hashanah – on a grand scale. Thousands of people participated in festive prayers and meals, heard the shofar blowing, performed the Tashlich ceremony, and together greeted the Jewish New Year in an atmosphere of spiritual elevation, unity, and hope for a good and sweet year.
One of the central events of Rosh Hashanah traditionally was the shofar blowing at the Central “Golden Rose” Synagogue. Before numerous congregants, the mitzvah of sounding the shofar was performed by the Chief Rabbi of Dnipro and the region, Shmuel Kaminezki. On these special days, the synagogue’s prayer hall was filled with people of different generations – families with children, young people, older individuals, regular congregants, and those who especially strive to come to the synagogue on the days of the most important Jewish holidays.
Festive prayers organized by the Jewish Community of Dnipro took place in many minyanim across various districts of the city. Thanks to this, the opportunity to hear the shofar, participate in prayer, and fulfill the most important mitzvos of Rosh Hashanah was available to the Jews of Dnipro regardless of how far they live from the city center.
Special attention during the holiday was given to children. A large children’s program was prepared for the young participants of Rosh Hashanah, allowing them to come to the synagogue for the holiday together with their families while also engaging with the traditions of the Jewish New Year in an accessible and exciting format.
One of the most important parts of the celebration was the large festive meals organized by the Jewish Community of Dnipro in the Grand Hall of the world’s largest Jewish center, “Menorah.” After the festive prayers, numerous families, friends, and guests of the community gathered at generously set tables. There, wishes for a good and sweet year were exchanged, lechaim was said, people socialized, and together experienced the special atmosphere of the first days of the new year 5787.
Rosh Hashanah once again united many thousands of Jews of Dnipro – those who are connected to the community’s life every day, and those for whom the great holidays become a particularly important opportunity to feel their connection to the Jewish people, its tradition, and their own roots.
“Rosh Hashanah is a special time when every Jew turns to the Almighty with a prayer for a good and sweet year for themselves, their family, our community, our city, and all of Ukraine. It is very important that on these days many thousands of people were able to pray together, hear the shofar, share festive meals, and feel themselves part of a great Jewish family,” said Chief Rabbi of Dnipro and the region Shmuel Kaminezki. “This unity, care for one another, and faithfulness to Jewish tradition are the most important values of the united and cohesive Jewish Community of Dnipro.”
Note! Since Jewish tradition does not permit photography on Shabbos and Yom Tov, the photographs were taken before the onset of the holiday. Therefore, the images show the tables set for the festive meals before their participants arrived.
