For Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, it is customary to dip an apple slice in honey.

“It’s part of your hoping for a sweet year,” said Ed Ember, president of Temple Mishkan Israel.

The Jewish congregation in Selma, and around the world, celebrated Rosh Hashana from sundown Wednesday until sundown Thursday. The new year is 5771 in the Jewish calendar, counting from Creation.

Apples are one of the fruits harvested during the months of September and October, which is when Rosh Hashana occurs.

The holiday marks the beginning of the 10-day period of the Days of Awe in which Jews celebrate the new year and ask for forgiveness.

The period ends with Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, which is Sept. 18.

It is customary to ask for forgiveness in the days between the holidays. Jews ask for forgiveness from others for sins committed against that person.

On Yom Kippur, once people have made amends with one another, Jews ask God for forgiveness for human sins like gluttony, gossiping, immorality, degradation of parents and teachers, cursing, arrogance and jealousy.

“This is the most solemn time of the year, the most important time of the year and it’s the deepest time of the year where we are meant to be reviewing our deeds of the past year and preparing to ask God to forgive us for our sins, and making promises to ourselves that we will lead a better life in the future,” said Steve Grossman, lay leader of the congregation. “Everything is in first person plural. We have sinned. We never point a finger at anyone saying you are a sinner. We are all sinners. We are repenting for ourselves, but we are also repenting for the entire Jewish community.”

On Rosh Hashana it is believed that God writes the destiny of people for the upcoming year in the Book of Life, and on Yom Kippur the book is sealed with all penitence included. But, throughout the year, the three things that can change the decree of God are prayer, repentance and charity.

Grossman will lead Yom Kippur services on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. and on Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. and a memorial/ concluding service at 4 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

“Anybody is, and always has been, welcome to our services,” Ember said.

Rosh Hashanah is the first day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, and Yom Kippur the 10th. The Jewish day is the 24-hour period beginning at sundown.