Sundown on Wednesday, September 8, marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The celebration continues until sundown on Friday, September 10. This will be the year 5770 in the Jewish calendar.
One of the best ways to learn about other people is through their customs and foods. The foods served for Rosh Hashanah are foods of celebration, foods representing the good life, but more than that, they are foods filled with symbolic meaning. |
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Honey is found in many foods prepared for Rosh Hashanah. It symbolizes the sweetness that is hoped for in the new year will hold. Challah is of course an important part of any Jewish meal. That which is made for Rosh Hashanah is sweetened with honey and may contain raisins, apple and sweet spices, the sweetness |
representing the hope that the new year will be sweet. It is also baked in a round shape instead of the traditional braid. This is to represent a crown for the King of Kings, eternity and the hope for a perfect year to come. A dish of honey, surrounded by slices of apple is served at the beginning of the meal. The pieces of apple are dipped into the honey to symbolize the sweet year to come. Even Chicken or Meat dishes may be sweetened with honey to encourage the coming year to be sweet. Rice symbolizing abundance and fertility is often present at the Rosh Hashanah table.
Fish represents abundance, fertility and longevity. At Rosh Hashanah it is often served in the form of Gefilte Fish. Another classic dish making its appearance at this festive time is Tzimmes, a sweetened vegetable dish. The vegetables, particularly carrots, are cut into round slices to represent coins, thus encouraging a prosperous year to come. The green of Spinach symbolizes a green and plentiful year to come. Finally a Honey Cake often ends the meal, a cake filled with sweetness and good things, as it is hoped that the coming year will be sweet and filled with the good things of life.
   
I hope the recipes I have posted here will be of help to you in the planning of a traditional Rosh Hashanah menu. And please; if I have committed any Kashrut faux pas, I beg your indulgence. Jewish culture was not a part of my upbringing. My knowledge of Jewish cooking comes from several close Jewish friends who are excellent cooks, however they do not strictly adhere to a Kosher life style.
Challah
Kreplach
Chicken Soup with Kreploch
Chicken with Kumquats
Orange & Herb Rice
Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Gefilte Fish
Tzimmes
Beet and Orange Salad
Rosh Hashanah Salad
Honey Cake |
