Published 22:19 IST, September 18th 2020
PM Modi extends new year greetings to Israeli counterpart Netanyahu, Jewish community
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended wishes to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and the Jewish community on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended wishes to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and the Jewish community on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
On Twitter, PM Modi tagged Netanyahu and wished "the new year bring good health, peace, and prosperity in everyone’s life. Shana Tova!"
Warm Rosh Hashanah greetings to my friend @netanyahu, the people of Israel and to the Jewish community all over the world. May the new year bring good health, peace and prosperity in everyone’s life. Shana Tova!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 18, 2020
Jewish new year
Rosh Hashanah is a two-day celebration that begins on the first day of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year. In contrast to the ecclesiastical year, where the first month Nisan, the Passover month, marks Israel's exodus from Egypt, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the civil year, according to the teachings of Judaism, and is the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman according to the Hebrew Bible, and the inauguration of humanity's role in God's world.
The Hebrew common greeting on Rosh Hashanah is Shanah Tovah, which translated from Hebrew means "[have a] good year".
Lockdown in Israel
Israel is set to go back into a full lockdown later Friday to try to contain a coronavirus outbreak that has steadily worsened for months as its government has been plagued by indecision and infighting. The three-week lockdown beginning at 2 p.m. (1100 GMT) will include the closure of many businesses, strict limits on public gatherings, and will largely confine people to within a kilometer (0.6 miles) of their homes. The closures coincide with the Jewish High Holidays , when people typically visit their families and gather for large prayer services.
In an address late Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that even stricter measures may be needed to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. There are currently more than 46,000 active cases, with at least 577 hospitalized in serious condition.
22:19 IST, September 18th 2020