Rosh Hashana, the Jewish High Holiday celebrating the start of the year 5775 on the Jewish calendar, begins tonight at sundown.

The themes of the Jewish New Year festival are repentance, preparation for the day of Divine Judgment and prayer for a fruitful year. The two-day festival, which falls on 1-2 Tishre in the Jewish calendar, will conclude at sundown on Friday.Major customs of Rosh Hashana include the sounding of the shofar in the middle of a devotional service that focuses on the festival themes, and elaborate meals at home to inaugurate the new year.Traditional foods include apples, challah bread and honey. Those of the Jewish faith often dip slices of apple or challah in honey as a wish for a sweet new year.The next Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the year for Jews, will begin at sundown on Oct. 3, and is celebrated for one day. Yom Kippur is a day for Jews to become reunited with God and their fellow men, and to make atonement for their sins.To all our Jewish readers, we wish a "L'Shana Tova," or "Happy New Year" in Hebrew.