WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) — President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump issued a formal Rosh Hashanah message Friday wishing the Jewish community a sweet new year as the High Holy Days get underway.

The two-day observance of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown Friday, Sept. 11, and continues through nightfall Sunday. It marks the start of a period of prayer, reflection and repentance that leads to Yom Kippur.

From @WhiteHouse, a Presidential Message on Rosh Hashanah:

“Melania and I send our warmest greetings to the entire Jewish community on Rosh Hashanah—the Jewish New Year and the first of the High Holy Days.

The Jewish community around the world marks the anniversary of when the…

— RJC (@RJC) September 11, 2026

In the White House statement, the president and first lady offered “warmest greetings to the entire Jewish community.” They noted that the holiday commemorates the creation of Adam and Eve and opens “a solemn season of prayer, repentance, and spiritual renewal.”

The administration used the message to restate its priorities, saying it remains committed to “ushering in a historic renewal of faith across our country, eliminating the scourge of anti-Semitism, and defending the sacred right of religious liberty for every single American.”

The greeting closed with the traditional blessing: “May you be inscribed in the Book of Life. Wishing you a Happy, Healthy, and Sweet New Year!”

The Republican Jewish Coalition shared the statement Friday and thanked the president. The message arrives days after Trump hosted Hasidic rabbis at the White House in what officials described as a rare gathering of its kind.

Friday also marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Rosh Hashanah customs include sounding the shofar, eating apples dipped in honey as a symbol of a sweet year, and reciting prayers for inscription in the Book of Life.