Diwali 2023

As part of my ongoing announcements of religious observances, please note that for 2023, the Hindu, Jain and Sikh celebration of Diwali begins today on Friday November 10 with Dhanteras and will continue for five days through Friday November 14 with Bhaj Dooj, with the most important celebration falling on the third day, Sunday, November 12.  

The festival of Diwali  (also called Deepavali, Divali, Devali and -- in Nepal -- Tihar or Swanti) is the most important holiday in the Hindu calendar. It is also an important holiday for Jains and Sikhs. 

For most people, the holiday should not affect class or work attendance, but may be observed by many students who practice one of these three religions.

Diwali marks the last day of the Hindu calendar.  The holiday can last up to five days and celebrates (at least in part) the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. In much of India (and especially in the North), the business community starts their financial new year with the holiday, and it is the beginning of the fiscal year. 

Diwali is celebrated throughout the Hindu world, regardless of region (which is not always the case for other holidays).  Divali is an official holiday not only in India and Nepal which both have majority Hindu populations, but also in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Malaysia, Guyana, Mauritius and Fiji.

Diya



Laxmi's footprints

Various traditions for celebrating Diwali include lighting of oil lamps (diyas or jyothis), setting off of firecrackers, exchanging and eating decorated sweets, gathering at people's holiday-decorated homes in celebration and visiting Temples.   

In different parts of India, the holiday is marked by the giving of gifts of new utensils (especially cooking utensils), wearing of new clothes and/or the cleaning and painting of homes or workplaces. Many cities and towns also hold Diwali melas or open-air fairs during Diwali. For most Hindu traditions, Laxmi (or Lakshmi), the goddess of prosperity is especially revered on Divali. With homes with children, people often leave female footprints on the floor after the children have gone to sleep so that when they wake up they will see that the goddess Laxmi has visited the home in the night.

 

Gulab jaman

Special foods are often eaten. Some of these are widely eaten throughout India. For instance, regardless of region, it is customary to eat things that are sweet such as gulab jaman, which is usually made of milk dough soaked in rosemary, sugar syrup and cardamom. A recipe for gulab jaman can be found at:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1613,158184-243192,00.html

Also, specialties made with cashews or pistachios are also widely eaten for Diwali. In much of India, delicacies are made from Lord Krishna’s favorite food Poha (also called Foav or Pauva) which is pounded semi-cooked sweetened rice and eaten on the second day of the festival. 

Other Diwali food specialties are more regional.  For example, in much of the north of India, people eat patandas made of flour, unprocessed sugar cane and ghee as well as poodas (or mal poohas) made of flour and sugar syrup and eaten with chutney. 

Sel roti

In Nepal, the traditional treat for Tihar (the Nepali name for Diwali) is called sel roti. Made of rice flour, milk and ghee and (depending on custom) flavored with cardamom or clove, the sel roti is somewhat like a thin, circular doughnut. Many Nepalis exchange sel roti with one another as gifts throughout Tihar. A recipe for sel roti can be found at 

http://www.indobase.com/recipes/details/sel-roti.php 

In the far south of India, many sweets are eaten leading up to Diwali and into the first day, notably those made from honey and unprocessed sugar cane.   

Mawa Kachori

In Maharashtra a special mix of cane sugar and coriander seeds is customarily eaten on the first day. In Rajasthan, many people traditionally begin the holiday by eating Mawa Kachori, a puffed pastry made with sweetened evaporated milk (mawa) and nuts. A recipe for Mawa Kachori can be found at: 

http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2011/10/15/mawa-kachori-puffed-pastry/

Religious Significance Diwali

Lord Krishna defeating Narakasura Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Hindu Traditions 

Diwali has three main Hindu religious stories attached to it.  While some Hindu traditions have other associations as well, these three are the most widespread.

First (and especially in South India), the holiday of Diwali commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon king Narakasura, and so the victory of good over evil. Narakasura -- himself a son of Vishnu -- had become power-crazed, overwhelming Indra and other Vedas. He also became horribly abusive to women, enraging Krishna's wife Stayabhama and her relative Aditi. At the pleading of the Vedas and Aditi, Krishna attacked the demon. Riding on the battle-eagle Garuda, Krishna withstood various attacks from the armies of Narakasura, then withstood the thunderbolts and trident attacks of Narakasura himself. Krishna then used his discus to behead the demon king. Before dying, though, Krishna was asked to celebrate the anniversary of his death as a holiday, to which Krishna agreed. As a result, the first day of Diwali is celebrated as such. 

Rama defeating Ravana

Second (and especially in North India), Diwali celebrates the return after 14 years of exile of King Rama and his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. The holiday marks their return after a war in which King Rama killed the demon Ravana.  Because it was dark as they returned, people lit oil lamps to light their way and thus the link of light over darkness. 

Third, in Bhavishyottara and Bramhavaivarta Purana holy writings, Diwali is associated with Daitya king Bali, who is allowed to return to earth once a year.

The Significance of the Five Days

For Hindus, each of the five days carries a different significance. The first day throughout India is customarily dedicated to honoring Dhanavantri (also called Dhanvantar), the physician of the gods and the source of the Ayurveda (in Sanskrit, “the complete knowledge for long life”). Because of its association with Dhanavantri, the first day of Divali is often known as Dhanteras and includes the ritual lighting of oil lamps and veneration of the goddess Laxmi in her owl form. As with most pujas, Lord Ganesha – the deity who removes obstacles – is given honor at the opening of the holiday.

Deepdaan

 

In many Hindu traditions, the first day of Diwali includes the ritual of Deepdaan in which worshipers light oil lamps for each member of their family and for often for their ancestors then set them afloat (usually) in a river or pond. Another Hindu tradition practiced in much of India is the giving of gold and jewelry gifts to bring about prosperity, making Diwali a major day for jewelers.  In northern India and Gujarat, many Hindus celebrate Yamadeepdaan in which lamps are dedicated to the god of death Yamraj (or Yam) and kept lit all night long. In the far south of India, many Hindus celebrate the days leading up to Diwali as Asweyuja Bahula Thrayodasi, dedicated to the god of finance Lord Kubera in which shop owners whitewash their business, recite a special mantra to Lord Kubera and give coins to honor the goddess Laxmi. In West Bengal, Diwali coincides with the Puja Kali. While the rest of India honors Laxmi on this day, in West Bengal, Hindus honor Kali the Destroyer goddess of time and change. 

Diwali fireworks

For many Hindu traditions, the second day of Diwali often begins with ritual bathing before the sun comes up, with anointing of oil and scrubbing of the body with ubtan (a mixture of fragrances with grains or rough flour). In West Bengal, as part of the Puja Kali celebrations, the second day is observed as the day the goddess Kali destroyed the demon Raktavija. Regardless of tradition, this is the traditional day for cracking open crackers (of the sort used in Britain on Christmas Day) and for setting off firecrackers. Many areas have major firework displays on the second day of Diwali.

Swami Dayananda Saraswati

The third day of Diwali for most Hindu traditions centers on the veneration of Laxmi. That said, the third day of Diwali also marks the anniversary of the death in 1883 of the founder of the Arya Samaj Hindu Reform Movement Swami Dayananda Saraswati.  The followers of the Arya Samaj therefore often mark the day as a day of remembrance for Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

Lord Krishna  lifting Gorvardhan

The fourth day of Diwali is celebrated in many Hindu traditions with a special Govardhan Puja. This puja commemorates Lord Krishna’s defeat of the rain god Lord Indra by lifting Govardhan Mountain. Some interpretations (there are many variations) explain that Lord Krishna needed to defeat Lord Indra because the rain god had become too arrogant and filled with self-pride. In doing so Lord Krishna taught worshipers to pray to more than just the rains by embracing the whole of nature. This celebration is also called Annakut (literally meaning “pile of grain”) because people in many parts of India decorate a mountain of grain symbolizing Govardhan Mountain.

On the fifth Day of Diwali comes the Bhai Duj or Bhai Teeka, a final day of celebration. On this day traditionally, brothers visit the houses of their sisters to honor them and bring gifts. Sisters in turn feed their brothers special delicacies. The celebration commemorates the visit on this day of the death god Lord Yama to his twin sister Yami (also called Yamuna or Yamini), the first woman. Lord Yama gave his sister a special gift that whoever visited her on this day would be cleared of sins.

Diwali in Jainism and Sikhism

As mentioned earlier, Diwali is not only practiced by Hindus. It is also a holiday for Jains and Sikhs. 

 
Diwali Traditions in Jainism

Lord Mahavira

 

In Jainism, Diwali is of particular significance. Jains, like Hindus, celebrate the holiday not only as the beginning of their New Year and as a time for a fresh start. Importantly, though, Jains also celebrate the holiday as the anniversary of Moksha (the attaining of nirvana) of Lord Mahavira, the founder of the religion.

Diwali Traditions in Sikhism

In Sikhism, Diwali is celebrated as a commemoration of the release from prison of the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji.  When Jahangir, the fourth Mughal emperor succeeded his father -- the famously religiously tolerant Akbar the Great. Although he was not a particularly devout Muslim, Jahangir  felt threatened by the non-Muslims in his empire, including the Sikhs but also many Hindus. As a result of his concerns regarding the Sikhs, Jahangir arrested Hargobind's father, the fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev. Jahangir tortured Guru Arjan Dev for five days before having him killed. 

Release of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji  and the 52 Hindu Kings

At this point, the young Hargobind -- only eleven years old at the time -- became the sixth Sikh Guru. Jahangir arrested the young Guru Hargobind but did not kill him as he had killed his father. Instead, Guru Hargobind was imprisoned (along with 52 Hindu kings) at Gwalior Fort. He remained there from 1617 until Diwali of 1619 when Guru Hargobind and the Hindu kings were freed. It is this release from imprisonment that the Sikhs celebrate at Diwali. The holiday is commonly called Bandi Chorh Divas or Prisoner Release Day.

Concluding Remarks

This overview of Diwali is meant only as a very superficial summary. Also, nothing written here is meant to be an indication of one way or another as the proper or correct way to worship. This is meant solely as an attempt to provide a layperson's quick summary of Diwali. 

Because there are literally hundreds of separate traditions for celebrating Diwali, I could only cover a few here. Please do feel free to share any of your own traditions that I have not covered.

Whatever your tradition,  Happy Diwali! 

Want to learn more?

For Hindu traditions, you may wish to look at

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/diwali/eventcoverage/10244929.cms

http://www.diwalifestival.org/diwali-traditions-customs.html

http://www.hindu-blog.com/2008/10/yamadeepdaan-diwali-yamdeepdan.html

http://www.indiaexpress.com/faith/festivals/dhistory.html

http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/index.html

For Sikh tradtions and the story of Guru Hargobind, turn to

http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/sikh-festivals/the-sikh-festivals-divali-bandi-chhorh-divas

http://www.sikhs.org/guru6.htm

 http://www.sgpc.net/gurus/guruhargobind.asp

For Jain traditions, turn to 

http://www.jainuniversity.org/diwali.aspx

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nikhil-bumb/jain-perspective-diwali_b_1032617.html 

Clip Art Sources

Opening "Happy Diwali" clipart: http://www.101kidz.com/holidays/diwali/clipart.html

Gulab jaman: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fBH-XI0AzsQ/TNQfq0Y4lpI/AAAAAAAAAso/nRsvSBVcM7M/s1600/IMG_1408.JPG

Sel roti: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sel_roti

Mawa Pachori: http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2011/10/15/mawa-kachori-puffed-pastry/

Lord Krishna defeating the demon Narakasura: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Krishna_Narakasura.jpg

Rama defeating Ravana: http://www.les-108-upanishads.ch/images/rama_defeating_ravana.jpg

Deepdaan: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110203/dplus4.jpg

Diwali fireworks: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M9ckjS8Bq4Y/TMBnxBGYtMI/AAAAAAAADp0/NQ5WceUnRl8/s1600/fireworks-017.jpg

Lord Krishna lifting Gorvardhan: http://www.graphics18.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/govardhan_puja.jpg

Swami Dayananda Saraswati: http://www.4to40.com/images/photo_gallery/Dayananda_Saraswati.jpg

Lord Mahavina: http://www.jainworld.com/photos/m.asp

  

Release of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and the 52 Hindu Kings: http://jattsingh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Bandi-Chhorh-Divas.jpg

Closing clipart   http://openclipart.org/image/800px/svg_to_png/164947/diwali_lamp.png

Rosh HaShanah 2023

For 2023, the Jewish New Year, Rosh HaShanah, begins tonight Friday September 15 at sundown and concludes at sunset -- depending on practice -- either on Saturday September 16 or Sunday September 17. For Orthodox and Conservative Jews, the holiday lasts for two days concluding at sundown on September 17. Many Reform and Reconstructionist Jews, however, observe the holiday only for one day (so for them, the holiday would conclude at sundown on September 16).

While definitions vary as to levels of practice from person to person, work is prohibited during the holiday. For Orthodox and most Conservative Jews, this is defined generally as no manner of work whatsoever (including school, telephone use, email, Internet surfing, etc.) during Rosh​ ​HaShanah.  

Because some Jews observe only one day, it is easy to make the mistake that the second day is not as important to those Jews observing both days.  But for Conservative and Orthodox Jews, the two days are equally important and indeed can be understood as a single very long day.  

The Jewish New Year and Its Significance

Rosh HaShanah is the Jewish New Year; the Hebrew means “Head of the Year.” The upcoming new year is 5784 in the Jewish reckoning. 

Unlike the secular New Year, Rosh HaShanah is a very solemn day as it is the day Jews ask God for forgiveness for sins of the past year.  Perhaps the only similarity to the secular New Year is that many Jews make resolutions to lead a better life in the coming year.  Most of the day is spent in the synagogue or temple. 

Together with Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) which occurs 10 days later (beginning this year on September 24 at sunset), Rosh HaShanah forms part of what are called the High Holy Days. The days between Rosh​ ​HaShanah and Yom Kippur are known as the Yamim Noraim (or “Days of Awe”) which act as days of repentance. 

Generally speaking, the High Holy Days are the most important days of observance in Judaism. Among observant Jews, traditionally, the weekly observance of the Sabbath on Saturdays is the most important Jewish holiday. In practice, though, for many Jews who do not regularly attend weekly Sabbath services, the High Holy Days often take place of prominence.  (Please note that I am in no way attempting to take a stance on what is or is not proper observance for any religion in these updates, but rather simply trying to make the general community aware of the various religious practices as they affect activities for employees, students or others).    

While Rosh HaShanah, like all Jewish holidays, appears to wander in the secular calendar, this is only because the secular calendar is not consistent with the Jewish calendar. In the Jewish calendar, though, the holiday actually occurs on the same day of the Jewish calendar.  

Interestingly, Rosh HaShanah does not occur at the beginning of the Jewish calendar; rather, it occurs on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month (not the first).  This seeming inconsistency rests in the Jewish concept of four different yearly cycles described in the Jewish Talmud. Rosh HaShanah represents the new year for relationships among people (including legal contracts) as well as for animals. The day marks the anniversary of the sixth day in the Creation story in which God created Adam and Eve, the first people. There is considerable variance among Jews as to whether this anniversary of the creation of humankind is viewed as the literal date or simply a symbolic anniversary. 

In the Jewish Torah (first five books of the Bible), the name “Rosh HaShanah” never appears for the holiday. Instead, the Torah refers to the holiday as either the Zi​k​aron Terua or “remembrance of the blowing of the horn” (as in Leviticus 23:24) or as the Yom Terua or “day of the blowing of the horn” (Numbers 29.1). Even in the Jewish liturgy of prayers used for the day,  Rosh HaShanah is generally referred to either as the Yom HaZikaron (the “Day of Remembrance”) or the Yom HaDin (“Day of Judgment”).

The Shofar

 

Ram's horn shofar

The horn referred to above is called a shofar. The blowing of the shofar is a central part of the religious observance of the holiday of Rosh HaShanah (and concludes the service on Yom Kippur).

Traditionally among Jews of Eastern  and Central European origin, the shofar is made from a ram’s horn. This is also the majority choice among the Jews of the United States, Canada and Australia. 

Among those Jews using a ram's horn, one of the associations of the ram's horn is with the Biblical story of the ram that appeared to Abraham at the binding of Isaac in the Book of Genesis:

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns.                                   -- Genesis: 22:13

Yemenite kudu horn shofar

That said, other animal horns such as those of antelopes are allowable. In fact, among Yemeni Jews, the shofar is customarily made from the long, curlicued horn of the kudu antelope.  This was also the practice among the Jews of Iraq for centuries until their expulsion in 1951, following the founding of the state of Israel.

Goat horn shofar

Among Italian Jews, the preferred shofar is made from a goat's horn. This was also the custom among the Jews of Spain before the Alhambra Edict which expelled them from the country in 1492 (it was only formally rescinded in 1968). In the years following the expulsion, thousands of Spanish Jews took this custom with them to the Low Countries and the New World where they had fled. As a result, today the goat's horn shofar is common in the Netherlands and present among some communities in South America. 

Oryx horn shofar

Many Moroccan Jews today blow a shofar made of an oryx horn (where it has long been the traditional horn used) However, some Jewish communities use an oryx horn as a way of remembering the suffering of the crypto-Jews of Iberia. Among the roughly 200,000 conversos (those who had converted before the expulsion eliminated that option in Spain or had been forcibly converted in Portugal in 1497) who remained in Iberia, several thousand continued to practice as secret Jews. The appropriate term for these people is crypto-Jews or secret Jews (and not as marranos meaning "pigs" in the Spanish of the time and marrãos which still means "pigs" in modern Portuguese). Among crypto-Jews, the preferred shofar was made of the long and totally straight horn of the oryx. This shape allowed them to carry the shofar surreptitiously held by their belt and down their trouser leg. 

  ​​

Taschlikh

 

Waterside Taschlikh ceremony

On the first afternoon of Rosh HaShanah, Jews traditionally participate in the Taschlikh ceremony. The name comes from the Hebrew word meaning "to cast."

In this ceremony, Jews carry bread crumbs to a stream, river or other naturally flowing source of water. There they say prayers asking to “cast their sins into the waters” with the bread crumbs symbolically representing the sins.

Rosh HaShanah Foods

Rosh HaShanah, as with many holidays, is usually marked by eating traditional foods. 

Round Challah

One of the foods most associated with RoshHaShanah is a round challah.The traditional Jewish bread used on holidays is called challah. Challah used each week on the Jewish Sabbath is normally baked in long, braided loaves. On Rosh HaShanah, though, the challah is made in totally round loaves. The circle of the loaves represents the continuation of life (which is part of the central prayers of the holiday).  

Apples and honey

Another notable food tradition for Rosh HaShanah is the eating of apples dipped in honey. This represents a wish for a sweet and abundant year to come with the honey standing for sweetness and the apples for abundance.  

Pomegranate

For many Jews (especially among Orthodox and Conservative Jews), on the second day of Rosh HaShanah people eat a fruit that is new to the season. This allows Jews to say a prayer of thanksgiving (called the shehechiyanu) for being allowed to reach a new season. A common choice for this fruit is a pomegranate since (in folk tradition) that fruit has 613 seeds, one for each of the commandments in the Torah. 

 

Sea bass with honeyed apples

Finally, in some Jewish traditions, it is customary to eat fish on Rosh HaShanah. In this custom, the fish plays two symbolic roles. First, since the fish’s eyes are always open, it symbolizes total awareness. Second, because fish are plentiful, the meal represents the wish for a fruitful and plenteous year to come. 

Because of the dipping of apples in honey, honey or apples (or both) is often used to prepare the fish. For example, one recipe for sea bass with honey and apples can found at the "All Recipes" site at:

          

Traditional Rosh HaShanah Apple Cake

Finally, desserts and other sweets are an important part of the festive meal, symbolizing a wish for a sweet year to come.  These too tend to emphasize the traditional pomegranates, apples and especially honey. 

Among the most typical Rosh HaShanah desserts is the honey or apple cake. A recipe for Rosh HaShanah apple cake can be found at the "My Jewish Learning" site 

Conclusion

The simplest traditional greeting for Rosh HaShanah is L’Shanah Tovah (May you have a good year). The response back is the same. 

Many other greetings are also used among Jews during the holiday and the Days of Awe between it and Yom Kippur. One common such greeting is  L’Shanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim. This means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." This refers to the belief that one asks to be inscribed in the Book of Life on Rosh HaShanah and that this be sealed in the Book of Life on Yom Kippur. Using this greeting may be said in English, and its use would show a significant understanding of the holiday. 

As always in these write-ups, I welcome your feedback. This is meant only to be informational and not to indicate that one or another practice is or is not acceptable.  Please feel free to send me corrections or things you would like me to include next time (and feel equally free to let me know if you find these worthwhile).  

I wish you all a L’Shanah Tovah!

David A. Victor, Ph.D.

Professor of Management and International Business

College of Business
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197 USA

Co-Author:  The 7 Keys to Communicating in Mexico: An Intercultural Approach

Co-Author: The 7 Keys to Communicating in Japan: An Intercultural Approach

Co-Author: The 7 Keys to Communicating in Brazil: An Intercultural Approach

Co-Author: Conflict Management: A Communication Skills Approach

Author: International Business Communication

Editor-in-Chief, Global Advances in Business Communication Journal   

Further Reading

Rabbi Raymond Apple, Oz Torah, "A Guide to the Rosh HaShanahservices" retrieved September 18, 2020:http://www.oztorah.com/2010/08/a-guide-to-the-rosh-hashanah-services/

Barsheshet Rebak Shofar Makers, "Types of Shofars," retrieved September 18, 2020: http://www.shofarot.com/index.php/the-shofar/typesofshofars/

Chabad.org, "The High Holidays: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur" retrieved September 18, 2020: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/4830/jewish/How-is-Rosh-Hashanah-Observed.htm

Irene Connelly, "No streaming, no singing: here’s how High Holidays will work in Modern Orthodox synagogues," The Forward, August 7, 2020, https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-e&q=Orthodox+Judaism+high+holiday+streaming

Dinka Kumer, "What is Taschlikh?" Chabad.com retrieved September 18, 2020: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/564247/jewish/What-is-Tashlich.htm

 

Tracey Rich,  "Rosh Hashanah" Judaism 101, 2020: http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday2.htm

Ariela Pelaia, "What is Rosh HaShanah?" About.com/Judaism, January 25, 2019,: http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/roshhashanah.htm

Adam Reinherz, "Shofar blowing strategies revamped to address COVID-19 concerns," Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, September 8, 2020, https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/shofar-blowing-strategies-revamped-to-address-covid-19-concerns/

Torah.org, "Seven Questions People Ask About Rosh HaShanah,": http://roshhashanah.torah.org/learning/yomtov/roshhashanah/survival2.html

Rabbi Randy Wise, "Understanding the High Jewish Holidays of RoshHashanah and Yom Kippur" Torah.org, retrieved September 18, 2020: https://torah.org/learning/yomtov-roshhashanah-survival2/ 

Clip Art Sources



Opening clip art image with shofar: http://wallpapers.dgreetings.com/images/wallpapers/rosh-hashanah/Rosh-Hashanah_Wallpaper_1024-768.jpg

Ram's horn shofar: http://www.shininglight.eu/shininglight.eu/originals/1330976499_Kosher-Shofar-Large-Ram-Horn-35-45cm-L.jpg

Yemenite kudu horn shofar:  http://www.shofarsfromafar.com/files/742858/uploaded/Shofar_Yemenite_3.jpg

Goat's horn shofar: http://www.noahsarkwinston.com/bible_land_gifts/22232

Blowing shofar above synagogue entrance, Congregation Beth Shalom, Pittsburgh 

https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/shofar-blowing-strategies-revamped-to-address-covid-19-concerns/

Oryx horn shofar: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mK6JpKiBQHM/R6x0yqUaLjI/AAAAAAAAADQ/_OE8moz7i6k/S240/moroccan-shofar-11L.jpg

Tashlikh: http://sank63.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/tashlit-006.jpg

Round Challah: http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Rosh-Hashanah/Detail.aspx

Apples and honey: http://ingenieriaypaisajismo.com/uploads/posts/2011-05/1305204650_rosh-hashana-uk.jpg