Holiday Hours
Happy Rosh Hashanah from Alpha Locks and Safe: Holiday Hours and a New-Year Lock Checklist
Shana Tova! Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown on Friday, September 11, 2026. Alpha Locks and Safe will be closed for the holiday on Saturday and Sunday, and we will be back to regular service on Monday, September 14 at 6:30 AM. Here are our holiday hours, a little about the holiday, and a short lock checklist for a fresh start.
Rosh Hashanah is a time for family, for sweet food, and for taking stock of the year behind us before starting a new one. Our family is taking the holiday off, and we want our customers to know exactly when we are closed and when we are back.
Rosh Hashanah Holiday Hours
- Friday, September 11: open our regular Friday hours, 6:30 AM to 3:00 PM.
- Saturday, September 12: closed. This is the first day of Rosh Hashanah, and it is also Shabbat.
- Sunday, September 13: closed for the second day of Rosh Hashanah. On a normal week we are open 24 hours on Sundays, so please note the change.
- Monday, September 14: back to regular hours from 6:30 AM.
Need a locksmith while we are closed?
Leave a voicemail at (914) 875‑1894 or email oren@alphalockandsafe.com, and we will get back to you when we reopen on Monday morning. If anyone is in danger, call 911.
You can also book an appointment online at any time over the weekend, and we will confirm it when we are back.
What Is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah, literally "head of the year", is the Jewish New Year. It falls on the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, and this year it welcomes the year 5787. Like every Jewish holiday it begins at sundown. In White Plains, candles are lit at 6:52 PM on Friday, September 11, and the holiday ends after nightfall on Sunday, September 13 at 7:49 PM (times from Hebcal).
It opens the Ten Days of Repentance, a stretch of reflection that ends with Yom Kippur, which this year begins at sundown on Sunday, September 20. A few of the traditions you may see around Westchester this weekend:
- The shofar. A ram's horn blown in synagogue as a call to wake up and take stock. When the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, as it does this year, the shofar is sounded on the second day.
- Apples dipped in honey. A wish for a sweet new year, often served with a round challah that stands for the cycle of the year.
- The greeting. "Shana Tova" means "a good year", and "Shana Tova u'Metukah" adds "and sweet".
A New-Year Lock Checklist
A new year is a natural moment to take stock of the house as well. None of this takes more than a few minutes, and most of it you can do yourself.
- Count your keys. Think about everyone who held a copy this past year: contractors, cleaners, a dog walker, a former roommate, the set that went missing in the spring. If you cannot account for every one, a rekey makes all the old keys useless without replacing any hardware.
- Test every exterior door. The deadbolt should slide all the way out without you pushing or lifting the door, and the latch should catch on its own when the door closes. A bolt that only works when you lean on the door usually means the door has settled or the strike plate has shifted.
- Check the strike plate screws. Short screws that only reach the trim are a common weak point when a door is kicked in. Screws long enough to reach the framing behind the trim make a real difference.
- Retire the key under the mat. The flowerpot and the fake rock are the first places anyone looks. A trusted neighbor or a lockbox is a better home for a spare.
- Do not forget the side doors. The door from an attached garage into the house and the back door to the yard are the ones most often left unlocked, and they often carry the weakest hardware on the house. If yours are worn or were never upgraded, a lock change is a quick fix.
Hosting Family Over the Holiday
Holiday weekends mean guests, and guests rarely arrive at the same time you do. If family is coming while you are at services, plan the handoff before the holiday starts: leave a key with a neighbor, set up a lockbox, or, if you already have a keypad or smart lock, create a temporary code in advance and delete it when they leave.
When the house is empty for a long service or a meal across town, walk the doors before you go. Back doors, garage entries and basement doors are the ones that get missed.
Keyless Locks, Shabbat and Yom Tov
This one is worth settling before the holiday rather than at the front door. Many observant households do not operate electronic devices on Shabbat or on Yom Tov, and for a lot of families that includes battery-powered keypad and smart locks. Some choose a fully mechanical push-button lock, which opens with a code but has no batteries or electronics at all. Others keep a regular keyed deadbolt and simply plan who carries the key.
Practice differs from community to community and from family to family, so the right person to ask about what fits your household is your rabbi. What we can do is talk through the hardware on your door and what will actually fit it.
See You Monday
From our family to yours, Shana Tova u'Metukah: a good and sweet year to everyone celebrating, and a good season to all of our customers across Westchester County. We will be back on Monday, September 14 at 6:30 AM for homes, businesses and vehicles, ready for whatever the new year brings.
Book Your Post-Holiday Lock Service
Rekeys, lock changes and security upgrades for homes across Westchester County. Book now and we will take care of it as soon as we reopen on Monday.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Alpha Locks and Safe reopen after Rosh Hashanah?
We reopen on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 6:30 AM, with all of our regular residential, commercial and automotive service.
Are you open on Sunday, September 13?
No. We are normally open 24 hours on Sundays, but this Sunday is the second day of Rosh Hashanah and we are closed.
What should I do if I am locked out during the holiday?
Leave a voicemail or send an email and we will get back to you when we reopen on Monday morning. If anyone is in danger, or a child or pet is locked in a car, call 911 right away.
Can I book an appointment for after the holiday?
Yes. You can book online at any time over the weekend, and we will confirm your appointment when we are back on Monday.