For the first time in its history, Romania’s Palace of the Parliament hosted a full celebration of Rosh Hashanah, bringing together senior representatives of the Romanian state, diplomatic corps, religious communities and Romania’s Jewish community to mark the Jewish New Year.

The event was attended by around 500 guests, including the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Parliament, leaders of Romania’s democratic political parties, government and state officials, Members of Parliament, representatives of different religious faiths and ambassadors from dozens of countries, alongside members of the Jewish communities.

A particularly significant element of the celebration was the presence of a century-old Aron Kodesh, or Torah ark, and Parokhet, the embroidered curtain traditionally placed in front of the ark. The historic religious objects were brought to the Palace of the Parliament specifically for the occasion, together with a Torah scroll, providing a traditional setting for the Rosh Hashanah ceremony within one of Romania’s most important state institutions.

Rosh Hashanah, which marks the beginning of the Jewish year, is traditionally observed with prayer, the sounding of the shofar, and festive meals featuring symbolic foods. The holiday also represents a period of reflection and renewal, as well as an opportunity to express hopes for peace and prosperity in the year ahead.

Holding the celebration inside the Palace of the Parliament placed Romania’s Jewish heritage and contemporary Jewish life at the centre of a major national institution. The broad participation of political leaders, public officials, diplomats and representatives of different faith communities also reflected the longstanding presence of Jewish life in Romania and the role of interfaith and intercultural dialogue in the country.