We are about to celebrate the New Year on the Gregorian
Calendar. But, did you know that the Jewish calendar actually
has FOUR New Years! 1) The first of Nissan, the month in which
Passover is celebrated, is regarded as the new year for months.
The first commandment that God gave to the Jewish people was to
sanctify the new year, beginning with the month of Nissan. It is
this date which we use to calculate the Jewish festivals. As the
beginning of the political year in ancient Israel, it was also
the date used for defining the reigns of the Kings of Israel. 2)
The first of Elul, the sixth month of the year, is the new year
for tithing animals. Whether an animal qualifies for the tithe
for year "A" or year "B" is determined by whether the animal was
born before or after the first of Elul. 3) The first of Tishrei,
the seventh month of the year, is the beginning of the calendar
year for produce and for the Jubilee. This is the holiday of
Rosh Hashanah, when a person's behavior for the previous year is
judged by