The people of Israel have begun the sacred season of the fall feasts, a time when the ancient rhythms of faith and repentance echo through Jerusalem and across the Jewish world. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, ushers in the Ten Days of Awe that culminate in Yom Kippur, and observant Jews listen for the shofar’s cry as the centerpiece of this solemn season. This is not a mere cultural festival — it is a biblical summons to examine hearts and return to God.
Rosh Hashanah is called Yom Teruah or Yom Hateruah in the Torah, the appointed day of trumpet blasts prescribed in Leviticus, and the shofar’s blast carries heavy theological meaning. The ram’s horn recalls the mercy of God who provided a ram for Abraham, and its blast is designed to wake souls from spiritual slumber and call a people back to righteousness. For any thinking American who still believes in the Bible, this is a reminder that our moral orders are anchored in timeless truths, not the whims of the ruling class.
Religious leaders and synagogues in Israel and the Jewish diaspora emphasize that the shofar is a call to repentance, not a sentimental relic, and many communities sound it repeatedly in the weeks leading up to Rosh Hashanah. Listening to that sound is the one explicit commandment of Rosh Hashanah in Jewish practice, a communal hearing that centers conscience and accountability. Conservatives should recognize this as a necessary corrective to the atomized, pleasure-driven culture the left champions — repentance and responsibility are the foundations of healthy societies.
For Christians who read Scripture through the lens of prophecy, the Feast of Trumpets also carries a prophetic resonance — New Testament passages tie trumpet blasts to the future gathering of God’s people and the establishment of justice. The season is therefore both a Jewish call to national atonement and a wake-up for believers of all backgrounds to live as watchful citizens. In a moment when moral clarity is increasingly scarce in our public square, the shofar’s sharp cry cuts through the noise as a spiritual and civic alarm.
This year the calendar places Rosh Hashanah from the evening of September 22, 2025, through September 24, 2025, marking the beginning of those Ten Days of Awe that lead to Yom Kippur. Americans who honor the Judeo-Christian heritage of our republic should mark these dates as a season to pray for Israel, to repent for the sins that weaken nations, and to recommit to upholding religious freedom at home. Timing matters; real citizens pay attention to the seasons of faith that shape the moral compass of whole peoples.
If our country still values liberty and the divine foundations of law, then Christians and patriots must stand with Israel not only politically but spiritually. That means pushing back against the radical secularism and anti-faith rhetoric that seeks to silence public expressions of belief, and it means electing leaders who honor Israel and the covenantal ties that bind our histories. When a nation loses its moral bearings, only a nationwide return to repentance and responsibility can restore it — the shofar calls us all to that urgent work.
The fall feasts are a reminder that time is moving, that nations are judged by their obedience to God and by the strength of their civic character, and that ordinary Americans have a role to play. Let us answer the call with courage, prayer, and steadfast support for Israel and for the principles that made this country great. The shofar’s cry is a summons to wake up, repent, and re-engage in the hard work of preserving freedom and faith for future generations.
