How quickly time flies in Israel: New Year’s Eve was just celebrated, now it’s New Year’s Eve again. New Year, or more precisely Rosh Hashanah, was in September according to the Jewish calendar. New Year’s Eve is celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar. Because two New Year’s days are definitely too many in a year, the only important thing in the Jewish state is the contemplative feast day in autumn, which is celebrated with families. But more and more people are invited to parties on “New Year’s Eve” – even if the whole thing is quite complicated.
Basically, the Israelis are used to living in two calendars and having two calendars hanging at home. The year 5782 has been written since last September, but the year 2022 begins on the 28th day of the month of Tevet. Much of everyday and business life is regulated according to the Gregorian calendar – from the summer holidays at school to the deadline for tax returns to the annual balance sheet of the Israeli army drawn up at the end of December. But the rhythm of the year is determined by the Jewish holidays, and every week leads to the Sabbath, the most holy day of rest.
Pilgrims pray the day before the Jewish New Year festival, Rosh Hashanah.
(Photo: MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP)
The Jewish festivals and public holidays are joined very unofficially, but in the meantime also a few others. This is a typical case of cultural appropriation in the global village, just as Halloween popped up in Germany at some point. Quite a few Israelis, for example, have taken a liking to flashing plastic Christmas trees – or to New Year’s Eve parties.
When the whole world is celebrating, one does not want to stand by cheerlessly in Israel, especially not in Tel Aviv, which is always ready to celebrate. There are no fireworks and no lead pouring either. But the list of hotels and restaurants that often offer extremely expensive New Year’s Eve menus is getting longer every year. The clubs attract with special DJs, and despite the pandemic, a street festival has even been announced in the Florentin nightlife district. On top of that, Novi God is celebrated in many of the homes of the more than one million immigrants from the former Soviet Union on December 31st, the secular Russian New Year, with a few references to Christian Christmas, with a decorated tree and the presence of Father Frost.
However, such festivities are not to everyone’s taste. Some see the identity of the Jewish state crumbling as a result. The pious complain about an insult to the religious tradition, which is why the chief rabbinate repeatedly threatens the restaurateurs who join the procession with a revocation of the kosher certificate. Reference is also made to the namesake of the festival, Pope Silvester I, who died on December 31, 335 and who has the reputation of a bad anti-Semite.
The New Year’s Eve party mood in Israel is often hampered by the fact that the next day is a completely normal working day. But this year there are fortunate circumstances: On January 1st, the Israelis can also sleep in. It’s a sabbath.