On Rosh Hashanah we say L'שנה טובה "l'shanah tovah"

On the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, which this year (5774) comes at sundown of Wednesday, September 4th, we greet each other with  L'שנה טובה "l'shanah tovah", which means "for a good year". This is a shortening of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or to women, "L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."

The holiday starts at sundown because our calendar is a lunar calendar, based upon the moon, as opposed to the US Calendar, based upon the sun. As mass commentor HeartDoc Andrew pointed out, the Chinese calendar, and others, are also lunar calendars. This also explains why our new year comes at different times each year.

So, whoever you are and wherever you are, Congregation Ner Tamid, our Rabbi Thomas Liebschutz, our President Kristine Goldstein, our Board, our members and me, your editor, we wish you l'shanah tovah, a good year. May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.