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Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, which is celebrated for two days in either the month of September or the month of October, depending on the year. They are the first two days found on the Jewish calendar.

When Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah, it can be both a joyful time and a solemn time. When Jewish persons go to synagogue during this time, they are often praying for forgiveness for their sins of the past year. This theme is stressed greatly just 10 days later, on Yom Kippur.

Dinners during Rosh Hashanah are almost always joyful. The foods offered focus on the sweet, in hopes that those consuming the food will have a sweet New Year. Fruits, sweet vegetables and honey abound in Jewish dishes for Rosh Hashanah. Even their main dishes on these days contain many of these items. Many believe that these menu items were created for the kids who are celebrating.

Happiness = Honey
Custom on Rosh Hashanah sprinkles honey into the mix liberally. You can find many traditional recipes with honey, like honey cakes. However, honey is also used during the main courses of the meal. Honey can often be found as a dip during this celebration, with items like apples and challah being dipped to start off the meal.

Honey holds a deep meaning to Jews, as in the bible Israel is described as the “Land of Milk and Honey”. This, of course, meant it was a prosperous land. Honey symbolizes the good life, even today.

Wealth = Carrots
You will find carrots in the meals served for Rosh Hashanah since they represent prosperity. If you look at a bowl of carrot slices, they resemble a bowl full of gold coins. Recipes exist that use carrots as a garnish, as a main entrée and as a side dish for the Rosh Hashanah meal.

Other vegetables you will often seen used are the sweet potato and summer squash. Again, this is due to their sweet taste. Many times these vegetables are sweetened even more with a honey glaze.

Sweet Future = Fruits
Apples dipped in honey are a common tradition during the Rosh Hashanah feasts. However, other fruits are often served during the meal. Fruit can appear anywhere, even in the main dish. Many fruits are served cooked, and fruits like prunes can even be cooked into a stew!

Nicola always enjoys celebrating Rosh Hashanah. Visit her Jewish High Holy Days site for Rosh Hashanah gift ideas, tips and news, information and views at http://Jewish-High-Holy-Days.your-holiday.info

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Your-Holiday.info

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and is considered to be one of the most important Jewish holidays. All over the world Jewish followers celebrate Rosh Hashanah. They do this by gathering in synagogues for the celebration of the creation of Adam and Khavah (Eve), which they believe were the first humans here on Earth.

The celebration of Rosh Hashanah is celebrated with many sweet foods, like honey cakes and apples dipped in honey. Jews do this in hopes that it will bring a “sweet year”. Other symbolic foods that are often found on Rosh Hashanah are pomegranates, carrots and the head of a fish.

A. The head of a fish symbolizes being on the top instead of on the bottom.

B.Pomegranates symbolize plenty, due to the incredible amount of seeds that are found inside.

C. Carrots symbolize two very different things:

1. For Ashkenazi Jews, carrots symbolize the Jewish word “merren”. Merren means more. For the New Year, Jews eat carrots in hopes of more of the good things that can be found in life: more health, more happiness, and more success.

2. For Sephardic Jews, carrots symbolize the phrase “Yikaretu Oyveychem”. This means “may your enemies be cut down”. These Jews wish that those who are not friendly towards them do not succeed and get their wish.

D. Challot, which is made with honey and raisins, is another sweet treat on the holiday. Again, it symbolizes a happy and sweet year. Decorations on the Challot, like birds, can represent doves of peace.

Rosh Hashanah lasts for two days, beginning on the first day of Tishrei. It is also the beginning of the ten days of atonement called Yamim Noraim, which ends on Yom Kippur. Jews believe that on Rosh Hashanah, mankind is judged. However, the judgment at that time can be changed. In the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Jews can repent, ask for atonement, and make up for their sins, which can change the Rosh Hashanah judgment. Only after the holiday Yom Kippur has ended has the judgment been finalized.

Nicola always enjoys celebrating Rosh Hashanah. Visit her Jewish High Holy Days site for Rosh Hashanah gift ideas, tips and news, information and views at http://Jewish-High-Holy-Days.your-holiday.info

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Your-Holiday.info