Jewish community celebrates its New Year's Day ' #RoshHashanah in Mumbai https://t.co/8nbjGGSwNA — TOI Mumbai (@TOIMumbai) 1569824215000

MUMBAI: The Jewish new year celebration of Rosh Hashanah began at dusk Sunday and will peak Monday. The calendar turns to the year 5780 this season.New York-based Jewish news service JTA tweeted a photograph of a handwritten Rosh Hashanah 1939 greeting from Mahatma Gandhi that was discovered in the National Library of Israel . "Dear Shohet, You have my good wishes for your new year. How I wish the new year may mean an era of peace for your afflicted people," Gandhiji wrote.The two-day festival marks the onset of the Jewish month of Tishri. The community believes that it was this day that God created the world including Adam and Eve. The lead ceremony includes the blowing of the shofar horn in select synagogues, and community prayer beside a water body. Candles are lit in the evening and families prepare an auspicious meal which includes challah bread or apples dipped in honey and pomegranate.Moses Jacob Korlekar, 74, secretary of the 170-year-old Beth El Synagogue, Panvel, made elaborate arrangements for the 15 Jewish families who worship there. He said Sunday, "After the evening prayer in the synagogue, people return home to a repast filled with meaning. We pray over apple with honey, fresh garlic leaves, beetroot, dates, bottle gourd, pomegranate, fish and head of goat."Rosh Hashanah will end at Yom Kippur or the day of atonement October 8-9 which is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.