Is It Rosh Hashanah Today? What Most People Get Wrong About the Jewish New Year

If you’re checking your calendar and asking, is it Rosh Hashanah today, the short answer is no. Today is Saturday, January 17, 2026.

We are currently in the middle of winter. Rosh Hashanah is a fall holiday. Specifically, in 2026, the Jewish New Year begins at sundown on Friday, September 11 and concludes at nightfall on Sunday, September 13.

Basically, you’ve got about eight months to go.

It’s an easy mistake to make. The Jewish calendar is lunar-based, which means the "big" holidays like Rosh Hashanah or Hanukkah seem to drift around on the secular Gregorian calendar. One year it’s in early September; the next, it’s practically Halloween.

Why the dates feel so confusing

Honestly, the "drifting" dates are just the math of the moon. A solar year (the one we use for taxes and school starts) is about 365 days. A lunar year is roughly 11 days shorter. To keep the holidays in their proper seasons—because the Torah insists Passover happens in the spring—the Jewish calendar adds a whole "leap month" every few years.

Think of it like a cosmic reset button.

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Because of this, Rosh Hashanah never lands on the same day twice in a row. For 2026, we are looking at the start of the year 5787 on the Hebrew calendar. It’s a major shift from the January 1st vibe most of us are used to.

It’s not just one New Year

Here’s a fun fact that most people outside the Jewish community don’t realize: Judaism actually has four different "new years."

1. Rosh Hashanah: The big one. The "Head of the Year." It marks the creation of the world and the start of the High Holy Days.
2. Tu BiShvat: The "New Year for Trees." In 2026, this actually happens soon—February 1st to 2nd. People eat fruit and plant trees. It’s basically Jewish Arbor Day.
3. Nisan 1: The biblical new year for counting the reigns of kings.
4. Elul 1: Historically used for tithing livestock.

So, while it isn't Rosh Hashanah today, you might actually be thinking of Tu BiShvat if you’ve been hearing talk about a Jewish New Year recently.

What actually happens on Rosh Hashanah?

If you’re looking ahead to September 11th, don't expect fireworks or Champagne. It’s a lot more... introspective.

The most iconic sound is the shofar, which is a ram's horn blown like a trumpet. It’s loud. It’s piercing. It’s meant to be a "wake-up call" for your soul. In the synagogue, the service is long—sometimes several hours—and focused on the idea that God is "writing" everyone's fate for the coming year into the Book of Life.

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Then there’s the food. You've probably seen the apples and honey. That’s the most famous tradition, symbolizing the hope for a "sweet" new year. But there are others:

• Round Challah: Most of the year, this braided bread is long. On Rosh Hashanah, it’s baked in a circle to represent the cycle of life.
• Pomegranates: Legend says they have 613 seeds, matching the 613 commandments (mitzvot) in the Torah.
• Fish Heads: Some families serve the head of a fish to symbolize being "the head, not the tail" in the coming year.

Misconceptions about "Today"

Because the Jewish day begins at sunset, not midnight, the "today" part gets tricky. If you look at a calendar and see "September 12" marked as Rosh Hashanah, the holiday actually starts the evening of September 11th.

If you walk into a store on the morning of the 12th expecting to buy holiday supplies, you're already late to the party.

Planning for 2026

Since we know the dates now, here is a quick roadmap for the 2026 fall holidays:

• Selichot (Prayers of Repentance): Starts late Saturday, September 5.
• Rosh Hashanah: Sunset September 11 to nightfall September 13.
• Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement): Sunset September 20 to nightfall September 21. This is the fasting holiday.
• Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles): Starts sunset September 25.

If you’re trying to request time off work or plan a dinner, September 2026 is going to be a very busy month.

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Actionable steps for right now

Even though it’s January, you can still lean into the spirit of the holiday. Rosh Hashanah is about "Teshuvah," which basically means returning to your best self.

You don't need a ram's horn for that.

• Audit your habits: Don't wait for September (or next January) to fix something that isn't working.
• Reach out: If you owe someone an apology from last year, just do it now.
• Mark the calendar: Put "September 11, 2026" in your phone with a reminder a week early so you aren't scrambling for honey at the last minute.

So, no, it is not Rosh Hashanah today. But it's never a bad time to start acting like it's a new year.

Next Steps: You can bookmark the September dates now to avoid the last-minute rush, or look into the upcoming Tu BiShvat traditions for February if you want to celebrate the "New Year of the Trees."