September 22 – Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is Today!

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HOW TO CELEBRATE ROSH HASHANAH STEP-BY-STEP

•  Greet Jewish friends with “Shana Tova” today, which means “Good Year” in Hebrew.  Pronounce it like this.
•  Enjoy a Rosh Hashanah feast with these symbolic foods.
•  Learn more about Rosh Hashanah in this amazing article on Jewish Unpacked.
•  Purchase a Rosh Hashanah gift for yourself or someone special!
• If you love the article image, purchase it on these fun products on Zazzle!

FEATURED ITEM FOR ROSH HASHANAH

Rosh Hashanah (ראש השנה) is the Jewish New Year. It is a two-day holiday which begins on Tishrei 1. This day marks the start of the Jewish civil year. The name “Rosh Hashanah” literally means “head of the year.” On Rosh Hashanah, Jews all over the world spend time with family and friends, attend synagogue, and eat special foods. Many Jews also give charity on this holiday. Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection and for looking forward to the coming year.

ROSH HASHANAH:  A BRIEF HISTORY OF ROSH HASHANAH

Rosh Hashanah has a long and rich history, dating back thousands of years. According to tradition, Rosh Hashanah was the day on which God created the world, and it is also the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve. In addition, Rosh Hashanah is believed to be the day on which Isaac was born, and it is also the day on which Moses received the Ten Commandments. As such, Rosh Hashanah is a day of great significance for Jews all over the world.

100 WAYS TO CELEBRATE ROSH HASHANAH

1. Attend Rosh Hashanah Services: Participate in synagogue services to mark the beginning of the Jewish New Year, offering prayers, reflections, and communal connections.
2. Prepare Traditional Foods: Cook traditional Rosh Hashanah dishes like challah bread, honey cake, and tzimmes, symbolizing sweetness, abundance, and new beginnings.
3. Sound the Shofar: Take part in the ancient tradition of blowing the shofar, a ram’s horn, to herald the arrival of Rosh Hashanah and awaken spiritual renewal.
4. Reflect and Repent: Engage in introspection and self-examination, reflecting on the past year and seeking forgiveness through sincere repentance and teshuvah.
5. Visit Loved Ones: Spend time with family and friends, sharing meals and meaningful conversations, strengthening bonds, and fostering unity during the holiday season.
6. Attend Tashlich Ceremony: Participate in the Tashlich ceremony, symbolically casting away sins by tossing bread crumbs into a body of water, representing renewal and purification.
7. Light Holiday Candles: Light candles to usher in the holiday and mark the onset of Rosh Hashanah, kindling the flames of hope, peace, and spiritual illumination.
8. Read Rosh Hashanah Prayers: Recite special Rosh Hashanah prayers, including the blessing over apples and honey, expressing hopes for a sweet and prosperous New Year.
9. Study Torah: Engage in Torah study, delving into sacred texts and teachings to gain wisdom, insight, and guidance for the coming year.
10. Decorate Your Home: Decorate your home with festive Rosh Hashanah decorations, such as banners, garlands, and table settings adorned with symbols of the holiday.
11. Give to Charity: Practice the mitzvah of tzedakah by giving to those in need, supporting charitable causes and helping to make a positive impact on your community.
12. Create New Year’s Resolutions: Set meaningful goals and intentions for the upcoming year, focusing on personal growth, spiritual development, and acts of kindness.
13. Share Rosh Hashanah Greetings: Send Rosh Hashanah greetings and blessings to family, friends, and loved ones, spreading joy and goodwill for the New Year ahead.
14. Participate in Community Events: Join community events and gatherings, such as holiday concerts, lectures, and social gatherings, celebrating the spirit of unity and collective joy.
15. Take Nature Walks: Take leisurely walks in nature, appreciating the beauty of creation and finding moments of peace, reflection, and connection with the divine.
16. Attend Rosh Hashanah Workshops: Participate in workshops and discussions focused on themes of repentance, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal, deepening your understanding of the holiday’s significance.
17. Write Letters of Gratitude: Write letters of gratitude to express appreciation for the blessings and experiences of the past year, cultivating a spirit of thankfulness and humility.
18. Plant Trees or Flowers: Engage in acts of environmental stewardship by planting trees or flowers, symbolizing renewal, growth, and the promise of a fruitful year ahead.
19. Listen to Jewish Music: Listen to soulful Jewish music, including traditional melodies, holiday songs, and contemporary compositions, uplifting your spirits and elevating the atmosphere of celebration.
20. Engage in Acts of Kindness: Perform acts of kindness and generosity, reaching out to those in need and spreading love, compassion, and goodwill throughout your community.
21. Create Artwork: Channel your creativity into artistic expression, creating Rosh Hashanah-themed artwork, crafts, or decorations to infuse your surroundings with beauty and meaning.
22. Attend Family Gatherings: Gather with extended family members for festive meals and celebrations, strengthening familial bonds and creating cherished memories together.
23. Practice Mindfulness: Cultivate mindfulness and presence in your daily life, savoring moments of joy, gratitude, and connection with loved ones during the holiday season.
24. Engage in Meditation: Set aside time for quiet reflection and meditation, centering your mind and spirit as you prepare for the spiritual journey of Rosh Hashanah.
25. Express Hope for Peace: Pray for peace and harmony in the world, expressing hope for a year filled with blessings, healing, and reconciliation for all humankind.
26.  Apple Bobbing: Enjoy the classic game of apple bobbing, where players try to catch apples with their teeth from a basin of water, symbolizing the sweetness of the New Year.
27. Pomegranate Seed Count: Guess the number of seeds in a pomegranate as a fun and festive game, with the winner receiving a symbolic prize for a fruitful year ahead.
28. Shofar Simon Says: Play a musical version of Simon Says, where the leader incorporates shofar blasts into the commands, adding a unique twist to the traditional game.
29. Rosh Hashanah Bingo: Create a Rosh Hashanah-themed bingo game with words and symbols associated with the holiday, providing a fun and educational activity for players of all ages.
30. New Year’s Resolution Charades: Act out different New Year’s resolutions in a game of charades, challenging players to guess the resolutions and encouraging reflection on personal goals for the coming year.
31. Honey Jar Relay: Organize a relay race where teams pass jars of honey down a line using only spoons, aiming to reach the finish line without spilling any honey, representing sweetness and abundance for the New Year.
32. Blindfolded Apple Tasting: Blindfold participants and have them taste different varieties of apples, trying to guess the type of apple they’re tasting, adding a sensory experience to the holiday celebration.
33. Rosh Hashanah Trivia: Test knowledge of Rosh Hashanah customs, traditions, and symbols with a trivia game, offering fun facts and insights into the significance of the holiday.
34. Shofar Freeze Dance: Dance to music while a shofar is intermittently blown, with players freezing in place whenever the shofar sounds, adding an element of surprise and laughter to the game.
35. Decorate the Honey Cake: Provide plain honey cakes or sugar cookies along with various toppings and decorations, allowing participants to decorate their own sweet treats in celebration of the New Year.
36. Rosh Hashanah Word Search: Create a word search puzzle with Rosh Hashanah-themed words and phrases, challenging players to find and circle them within a grid of letters.
37. Apple Relay Race: Set up an apple-themed relay race where participants race to carry apples on spoons or balance them on their heads, fostering teamwork and coordination skills.
38. Shofar Toss: Arrange a shofar toss competition, similar to a beanbag toss game, where players try to toss objects into a target while incorporating the shofar as part of the challenge.
39. Jewish Holiday Memory Game: Play a memory game featuring cards with images or symbols representing Jewish holidays, including Rosh Hashanah-related items, to test memory and observation skills.
40. Tashlich Bean Bag Toss: Set up a bean bag toss game with targets representing different sins, encouraging players to reflect on their actions and intentions as they aim for forgiveness.
41. Pomegranate Seed Spitting Contest: Hold a friendly competition to see who can spit pomegranate seeds the farthest distance, adding a lighthearted and playful element to the holiday festivities.
42. Rosh Hashanah Scavenger Hunt: Organize a scavenger hunt with clues related to Rosh Hashanah customs, traditions, and symbols, leading participants on a journey of discovery and exploration.
43. Honey Jar Relay: Similar to the honey jar relay, but with a twist: participants must balance jars of honey on their heads as they navigate through an obstacle course, adding an extra challenge to the game.
44. Shofar Limbo: Set up a limbo bar and incorporate shofar blasts into the game, challenging players to bend backward and pass under the bar without touching it while the shofar sounds.
45. Apple Bowling: Use apples as bowling balls and set up a makeshift bowling alley with pins made from empty bottles or cans, providing a fun and festive activity for players of all ages.
46. Rosh Hashanah Mad Libs: Create Rosh Hashanah-themed Mad Libs stories with blanks for players to fill in with nouns, verbs, and adjectives, resulting in hilarious and creative storytelling.
47. Honey Spoon Race: Race against the clock to transfer honey from one jar to another using only a spoon, testing dexterity and patience in this sweet and sticky challenge.
48. Shofar Relay Race: Incorporate the shofar into a relay race where teams must pass the shofar from one player to the next, ensuring that each participant has the opportunity to blow the shofar during the race.
49. Rosh Hashanah Ring Toss: Set up a ring toss game with rings decorated in Rosh Hashanah colors and symbols, encouraging players to aim for targets representing blessings and good fortune.
50. New Year’s Apple Picking: Organize a trip to an apple orchard or local farm where participants can pick their own apples, enjoying the fresh air and bounty of the harvest season as they celebrate the New Year.
51.  Honey Jar Decorations: Decorate honey jars with colorful ribbons, labels, and stickers, adding a personal touch to gifts or table decorations for Rosh Hashanah.
52. Apple Stamped Cards: Use halved apples dipped in paint to create stamped designs on blank cards, perfect for sending New Year’s greetings to family and friends.
53. Shofar Craft: Make a shofar craft using cardboard or paper towel rolls, decorated with paint, markers, or glitter to resemble the traditional ram’s horn.
54. Rosh Hashanah Garland: Create a festive garland using paper cutouts of apples, honey jars, and shofars, strung together with ribbon or twine to hang as a decorative accent.
55. Pomegranate Seed Art: Make art using dried pomegranate seeds glued onto canvas or paper to create intricate designs or patterns, symbolizing prosperity and abundance for the New Year.
56. Apple Honey Dish: Craft a honey dish using a real apple hollowed out to hold honey, decorated with carved designs or painted motifs for a unique and natural centerpiece.
57. Rosh Hashanah Wreath: Create a wreath using artificial or dried apples, pomegranates, and cinnamon sticks, tied together with ribbon or twine to hang on your door as a welcoming symbol for the holiday.
58. Shofar Wind Chimes: Make wind chimes using small shofar replicas or cutouts, suspended from a branch or hoop with string or wire to create soothing sounds in the breeze.
59. Apple Print Tablecloth: Decorate a plain tablecloth with apple prints using fabric paint or stamps, adding a festive touch to your Rosh Hashanah dinner table.
60. Honeycomb Paper Decorations: Craft honeycomb paper decorations in the shape of honeycombs or beehives, embellished with metallic paint or glitter for a shimmering effect.
61. Rosh Hashanah Candle Holders: Design candle holders using clay or air-dry modeling clay, shaped into apple or pomegranate motifs and painted in vibrant colors to hold candles for holiday lighting.
62. Apple Place Card Holders: Create place card holders using small apples with name tags attached, perfect for seating arrangements at Rosh Hashanah meals or gatherings.
63. Shana Tova Banner: Make a “Shana Tova” banner using colorful cardstock or felt letters strung together with ribbon or twine, displaying the traditional Hebrew greeting for a good and sweet year.
64. Pomegranate Suncatchers: Craft suncatchers using pomegranate-shaped cutouts or beads, threaded onto string or wire and hung in windows to catch the sunlight and cast colorful reflections.
65. Honeycomb Beeswax Candles: Make beeswax candles in the shape of honeycombs or beehives, rolled by hand and embellished with gold accents for a warm and inviting glow.
66. Apple Yarn Pom-Poms: Create yarn pom-poms in the shape of apples, using red or green yarn wrapped around cardboard circles and trimmed into round shapes, perfect for decorating garlands or gift packages.
67. Rosh Hashanah Memory Book: Compile a memory book or scrapbook with photos, mementos, and written reflections from past Rosh Hashanah celebrations, capturing cherished memories and traditions.
68. Pomegranate Seed Mosaic Coasters: Make mosaic coasters using dried pomegranate seeds arranged in colorful patterns on wooden or cork bases, sealed with resin for a durable and decorative finish.
69. Apple Pomander Centerpiece: Create a pomander centerpiece using whole apples studded with cloves, arranged in a bowl or basket with cinnamon sticks and dried citrus slices for a fragrant and festive display.
70. Honeycomb Place Mats: Craft place mats using honeycomb-shaped stencils or templates, painted or stamped onto fabric or paper for a whimsical and thematic addition to your Rosh Hashanah table setting.
71. Apple Print Napkins: Decorate plain cloth napkins with apple prints using fabric paint or stamps, adding a touch of color and charm to your Rosh Hashanah table decor.
72. Rosh Hashanah Blessing Cards: Create blessing cards with handwritten blessings or wishes for the New Year, embellished with decorative elements like stickers, stamps, or drawings.
73. Pomegranate Seed Jewelry: Make jewelry using dried pomegranate seeds strung onto thread or wire to create bracelets, necklaces, or earrings, symbolizing fertility, prosperity, and abundance.
74. Shofar Door Hanger: Design a door hanger in the shape of a shofar, decorated with paint, markers, or embellishments, to welcome guests and visitors to your home during Rosh Hashanah.
75. Apple Garland: String together dried apple slices to create a garland, alternating with beads or ribbon for added decoration, to hang as a festive accent in your home for the holiday season.
76.  Challah Bread: Bake traditional challah bread, braided and golden brown, symbolizing the cycle of life and the importance of family and community.
77. Apple Cake: Prepare a moist and flavorful apple cake, filled with cinnamon and nutmeg, embodying the sweetness and abundance of the New Year.
78. Honey Glazed Chicken: Roast succulent chicken glazed with honey and herbs, offering a savory-sweet dish that represents hopes for a sweet and prosperous year ahead.
79. Matzo Ball Soup: Cook comforting matzo ball soup in a flavorful chicken broth, with fluffy matzo balls and vegetables, providing warmth and nourishment for the holiday meal.
80. Brisket: Slow-cook tender brisket with onions and garlic until melt-in-your-mouth tender, serving as a hearty and traditional main dish for Rosh Hashanah celebrations.
81. Tzimmes: Prepare tzimmes, a sweet and savory stew of carrots, sweet potatoes, and dried fruits cooked with honey or maple syrup, symbolizing the sweetness of life.
82. Apple Kugel: Bake a delicious apple kugel, combining shredded apples, noodles, cinnamon, and sugar, creating a comforting and flavorful side dish for the holiday table.
83. Honey Glazed Salmon: Grill or roast salmon fillets with a honey glaze and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, offering a light and flavorful seafood option for Rosh Hashanah meals.
84. Noodle Kugel: Make a creamy noodle kugel, combining egg noodles, cottage cheese, and raisins, baked until golden and bubbly, providing a satisfying and comforting dish.
85. Honey Roasted Vegetables: Roast a medley of seasonal vegetables, such as carrots, beets, and squash, tossed with olive oil and honey for a sweet and savory side dish.
86. Rugelach: Bake buttery rugelach pastries filled with jam, nuts, and cinnamon, rolled into crescent shapes and dusted with powdered sugar for a delightful sweet treat.
87. Honey Glazed Carrots: Cook tender carrots in a honey glaze with a hint of ginger and orange zest, offering a simple yet flavorful side dish that complements any Rosh Hashanah meal.
88. Stuffed Cabbage Rolls: Prepare stuffed cabbage rolls filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, rice, and spices, simmered in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce.
89. Honey Apple Crisp: Make a honey apple crisp with caramelized apples topped with a crunchy oat crumble, served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.
90. Potato Kugel: Bake a golden potato kugel, shredded potatoes mixed with onions, eggs, and seasonings, creating a crispy and comforting side dish for the holiday feast.
91. Honey Glazed Brussels Sprouts: Roast Brussels sprouts until caramelized and tender, drizzling them with a honey and balsamic glaze for a sweet and savory side dish.
92. Sephardic Fish Stew: Prepare a hearty Sephardic fish stew with a tomato-based broth, featuring an array of fish and seafood, herbs, and spices for a flavorful and aromatic dish.
93. Honey Cake: Bake a moist and fragrant honey cake, infused with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, symbolizing wishes for a sweet and prosperous New Year.
94. Pomegranate Salad: Toss together a refreshing salad with mixed greens, pomegranate seeds, toasted nuts, and a tangy vinaigrette, offering a vibrant and nutritious dish.
95. Chicken Liver Pâté: Make a rich and creamy chicken liver pâté, seasoned with onions, garlic, and herbs, perfect for spreading on crackers or crusty bread as an appetizer.
96. Roasted Beet Salad: Roast beets until tender and caramelized, then toss them with goat cheese, arugula, and a honey balsamic dressing for a colorful and flavorful salad.
97. Sweet and Sour Meatballs: Cook savory meatballs in a sweet and tangy sauce made with honey, vinegar, and spices, serving them as a flavorful appetizer or main dish.
98. Apple Honey Challah: Bake a twist on traditional challah bread by incorporating diced apples and honey into the dough, creating a sweet and aromatic loaf.
99. Cucumber Dill Salad: Prepare a refreshing cucumber dill salad, thinly sliced cucumbers tossed with yogurt, dill, and a splash of lemon juice, offering a light and crisp side dish.
100. Honeyed Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini: Assemble crostini with toasted baguette slices topped with creamy goat cheese, sliced figs, and a drizzle of honey, creating a sophisticated and delicious appetizer.

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Do you have any ideas about how to celebrate Rosh Hashanah?  Please share them!