Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year commemorating the anniversary of creation, has signaled to the more than 20,000 Jews throughout the Tristate to begin a 24-hour period of personal judgment and reflection. As the year 5763 opens, Jews compare their actions over the past year to their ideals on this high holy day.

        A time for personal and spiritual growth, and a time of celebration, Rosh Hashanah started at sunset Friday and will continue until sundown today.

        Across the country, Jews will hear the sounding of the shofar — a large ram's horn used to call in the New Year — while there are readings from the Torah, spiritual messages, poetry and prose. They reflect on the questions their ancestors have asked on this, one of the most holy holidays for Jewish people.

        Aside from some literary interpretations made by poets during the Middle Ages, the customs and spirit of Rosh Hashanah remain basically unchanged.

        Robert B. Barr, rabbi for Beth Adam (meaning House of the People) synagogue in Loveland, said the shofar symbolically is meant to “wake us from our fog.”

        “It is a time to take personal accounting of how we've lived our lives, what we've done and where we've succeeded and failed,” Rabbi Barr said. “It hopefully becomes motivation for us to strive to be better in the coming year.”

        A number of Jewish sects celebrate the holiday in varying ways. Rabbi Barr, who studied at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, is trained in the reform sect. He will have given five sermons before sundown today, and led discussions — for both adults and children — with his congregation. Rabbi Barr's sermons last year were given six days after the Sept. 11 attacks.

        “It's hard not to think of the year we're living in, the stumbling economy, the elusive peace in the Middle East, the terrorist attacks,” Rabbi Barr said. “What does that mean to us as religious people beginning a new year.” Alan Brown, president of the board of trustees for Beth Adam, said the variations on how to worship are less important than respecting the differences that exist. Rosh Hashanah, along with Yom Kippur (day of atonement) are considered the two high holy days by Jewish people.

        Mr. Brown said Rosh Hashanah is one of the most well-attended holy days.

        “It's an opportunity to wax philosophical and theological at the same time,” he said.

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