What is Naw-Ruz?
This past March adherents of the Bahai faith in Israel and across the globe celebrated their New Year, or Naw-Ruz. In Farsi, Naw-Ruz, pronounced “no-rooz”, means "new year" or "new day". This festive day also marks the end of the 19-day Bahai Fast bringing people together to eat, celebrate, have fun, and just enjoy each other's company. This 'new day' signifies renewal and change.
In Israel, Baha’i leaders usually host a reception for local government and diplomatic officials at Jerusalem’s David Citadel Hotel, which will include speeches and musical performances.
How the Bahai religion came to Israel
In 1844, a young man named Mírzá 'Alí Muhammad who called himself, "the Bab" began to preach in Persia that God was sending a new prophet just like Moses, Christ, and Muhammad. He was imprisoned and a few years later in 1850, he was executed. One of Bab's earliest disciples, Mírzá Husayn-'Alí later known as Baha'u'llah, is considered to be this prophet and the official founder of the Bahai Faith. Baha'u'llah was exiled and spent about 24 years in the prison city of Acre.
Did You Know?
The Bahai Faith employs a solar calendar of 365 days but divides the year into 19 months, which are themselves divided into 19 days.
