There are a number of ways Jews greet one another during the High Holy Days. The easiest one to learn is:
SHANA TOVA – (shah-NAH toe-VAH) – literally “Good year” it means “Happy New Year.” You can reply with the same words.
Some other greetings you may hear leading up to Rosh Hashanah and on the day:
L’SHANA TOVA (luh-shah-NAH toe-VAH) – literally “To a Good Year.” It also means Happy New Year, and you can reply in kind.
L’SHANA TOVA TIKATEIVU (shah-NAH toe-VAH tee-kah-TAY-voo) literally, “May you be written for a good year.”
GUT YUNTIFF – (GOOT YUN-tif), (Yiddish) “Happy Holiday.”
From Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur, it’s polite to assume that someone has already been “written in the book of life” so you wish them a “good sealing”:
GAMAR CHATIMAH TOVAH – (ga-MAR chah-ti-MAH toe-VAH) – “May your final sealing be good.”
Remember, you can never go wrong with “Shana Tovah!”
Image by Slava. Some rights reserved.
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