On eve of Jewish new year, Israelis dread possible Iran strike and worry about ties with US

By Associated Press, Published: September 16

JERUSALEM — Israelis ushered in the Jewish New Year on Sunday with a sense of uncertainty, fearful that war with Iran could break out this year.

The two-day Rosh Hashana holiday, which was beginning at sundown, commemorates the creation of the world — which this year reached the age of 5773, according to the Jewish calendar. In synagogues, special prayers are recited and a ram’s horn is blown, and at festive family meals, apple slices are eaten in honey to signify a sweet new year. The holiday also begins a 10-day period of introspection culminating with Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said several thousand police officers were on patrol in Jerusalem, a standard deployment to secure public areas during the holiday. But paramilitary border police and undercover units were also deployed in case of additional demonstrations by Muslims in the city against an incendiary film portraying the Prophet Muhammad. Small protests took place in Jerusalem last week, though nothing close to the intensity of larger demonstrations in Libya, Yemen and Egypt.

In a break from years past, Israel did not seal off the West Bank or restrict entry of Palestinians into Israel for this year’s holiday. In recent months, Israel has relaxed restrictions on West Bank Palestinians, issuing them more Israeli work permits and allowing tens of thousands to visit Israel during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the subsequent Eid al-Fitr holiday.

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