"Shana Tova" is said as a greeting around Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It literally means "good year" in Hebrew. People commonly say "Shana Tova" during the days leading up to, on the day(s) of, and shortly after Rosh Hashanah. This greeting is used similarly to how people say "Happy New Year" in secular contexts. A longer and more formal version of the greeting is "L'shana Tova U'metuka," which means "for a good and sweet year," reflecting the tradition of wishing for a sweet new year with symbolic foods like apples dipped in honey. The greeting is appropriate to say starting a few weeks to a month before Rosh Hashanah and throughout the holiday period. Rosh Hashanah usually falls in the early fall, corresponding to the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. In 2025, Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on Monday, September 22, so "Shana Tova" would be said around this time.