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In Jerusalem, the Rosh Hashana holiday, which features equal parts merry-making (dipping things in honey) and solemn account taking (long hours in synagogue), dominates much of this week, starting Wednesday night and running until the weekend. Much of the city shuts down in reverence, but once the holiday goes out and the new year of 5722 begins in earnest, Jerusalem is primed get back into the swing of things, with concerts, revelry and tons in between.

• Today marks the end of the Malcha Mall's holiday gift fair and its opportunities to find something special to give for the fall season. Items for sale include house wares and accessories, home textiles and sweet gift baskets. A free Rimonim Winery package is granted to shoppers who spend 599 NIS or more at the mall in one day.

• Rosh Hashana itself begins tonight. Those curious about the holiday traditions can check out prayer services at the always-hopping Western Wall, and, on Thursday afternoon, the Tashlich ritual at Jerusalem's various modest bodies of water.

• And for those not observing the holiday in a traditional manner, but still interested in a festive banquet, the Spaghettim restaurant downtown is set to open its doors on Thursday, making it one of the few open places in the city.

• Just down the hill from Jerusalem, over at Mini Israel, the start of 5772 is being celebrated by the Power Rangers and the Care Bears. This Thursday and Saturday, the mid-day hours at the attraction are scheduled to be dominated by children's TV-themed crafts, games, photo opportunities and performances.

• With the two-day holiday running straight into shabbat, it can be challenging to keep the inspiration going at meal time. The Inbal Hotel's Chef Moti Buhbut, however, has prepared a parede of Rosh Hashana weekend meals, open to reserved non-guests as well, that riff on seasonal traditions to provide feasts for eyes and bellies alike.

• On Saturday night, the Israeli Music Festival opens with a free gala performance of works by four celebrated Israeli composers at the Jerusalem Theatre. Don't try to just show up at the door, though. Get your tickets early for this bad boy, or expect to listen to the sweet music from out in the cold.

• On Sunday, Beit Avi Chai hosts a talk by Yair Garboz on the connection between art, the shtetl, biblical narratives and Jewish history.

• With the fall coming in, chefs are switching up their menus to reflect the seasonal change. So even if you've been to upscale dairy joint Sofia in the past few months , a visit now is likely to yield a completely new experience.

• The days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are considered the most serious among observant Jews, who believe it is their last chance to appeal to be written in the Book of Life and everything else groovy. Taking that theme a step further, The Lab and Beit Avi Chai present two nights of dance performances inspired by the world of prayer, on Tuesday and Wednesday. All premieres of original dance works that deal with the interface between spiritual pleading and movement, take place at the Gerard Bechar Center.

• The Ticho House, once a residential home at the center of Jerusalem socialite scene, is today an outpost of the Israel Museum, with a world-class restaurant as its anchor. The collision of old and new make Ticho House the perfect place to exhibit the works of Canadian artist Rodney Graham, who explores the technologies of the past and how they inform art today. The exhibition is open until November.

And check out our full event listings for everything else happening around town.