L’Shana Tova – Wishing you a Happy and Sweet New Year
Shanah Tova! A new Jewish year is just around the corner, and we’re honored to help you prepare for it. We’re excited to offer tried-and-tested healthy recipes, inject valuable input and share helpful tips. Read on to explore Rosh Hashanah concepts. In addition, we offer FREE:
- Healthy Dairy-Free Recipe Menus For Rosh Hashanah.
- Healthy Dairy-Free Dessert Recipes For Rosh Hashanah.
- Rosh Hashanah Symbols Simanim – Healthy Recipes.
We hope your following year will be filled with festive celebrations and meaningful moments.
Yours,

Rosh Hashanah Recipe Collections at Kosher Create
Healthy Dairy-Free Recipe Menus For Rosh Hashanah
Healthy Dairy-Free Dessert Recipes For Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah Symbols Simanim – Healthy Recipes
Exploring Rosh Hashanah
- Rosh Hashanah – The Jewish New Year
- The Four holidays of the Jewish month of Tishre
- Rosh Hashanah Customs
- Rosh Hashanah Symbols – Simanim
- Round Challah dipped in honey
- Apple dipped in honey
- Dates
- Pomegranate
- Pumpkin or Squash
- Black Eyes Peas
- Leeks
- Beets or Chard or Spinach
- Fish
- Carrot
- Sesame
- Olives
- Figs
- Rosh Hashanah Menus – see: Rosh Hashanah – Healthy Menus
- Rosh Hashanah Desserts – see: Healthy Dairy-Free Dessert Recipes For Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah – The Jewish New Year
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is observed on the first and second days of the Jewish month Tishre. It denotes the beginning of the Jewish High Holidays. According to Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah commemorates the anniversary of the world’s creation and symbolically marks its birthday and that of mankind. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, ushers in a unique period of time; it is the first among the four holidays of the Jewish month of Tishre.
The Four holidays of the Jewish month of Tishre
ROSH HASHANAH celebrates the creation of the world and mankind. It is marked by prayer, reflection and seeking forgiveness.
It is followed by YOM KIPPUR, the day of introspection and atonement.
The holidays of Tishre continue with SUKKOT that commemorates the Jews’ redemption from Egyptian slavery.
SIMCHAT TORAH ensues with the celebration of the Torah, the Jewish Bible.
The Four holidays of Tishre
| Jewish Holiday of Month Tishre | Hebrew Date | Commemorates |
|---|---|---|
Rosh Hashanah![]() | 1st and 2nd of Tishre א – ב תשרי | Beginning of year; creation of the world and mankind. |
Yom Kippur![]() | 10th of Tishre י תשרי | The day of introspection and atonement. |
Sukkot![]() | 15th till the 21st of Tishre טו תשרי – כא תשרי | The Jews’ redemption from Egyptian slavery. |
Simchat Torah![]() | In Israel – 22nd of Tishre כב תשרי Abroad – 23rd of Tishre כג תשרי | The celebration of the Torah, the Jewish Bible. |
Please note: The day in the Jewish Calander begins and ends with sunset. The Jewish Calander is set according to the moon, whereas the Secular Calander is set by the sun. Jewish holidays fall each year on a different secular date.
Rosh Hashanah Customs
Rosh Hashanah is observed through earnest prayers in the synagogue. The ram’s horn, shofar, is blown as a reminder to aspire for a deeper faith.
Festive meals are served and round sweet challah, i.e. traditional Jewish bread, is dipped in honey in hope for a circular happy and sweet new year. The genuine wish for a sweet new year is also expressed through a common custom of dipping apples in honey. On the second night, it is customary to include a new seasonal fruit.
Rosh Hashanah dishes are notable for their symbolism: many for their sweet taste; some for their shape and others for their phonetic sound that correlates with hopes for the coming new year. Special blessings are recited over a selection of foods (Simanim). These foods encapsulate the new year wishes and as such are often incorporated in this holiday’s cooking. Though traditions vary, the core remains the same and has been perpetuated through the ages.
Rosh Hashanah Symbols – Simanim
Click for Rosh Hashanah Symbols Simanim – Healthy Recipes
Round CHALLAH
חלה עגולה
Dipped in honey symbolizes a circular, happy and sweet new year.
APPLE dipped in honey
תפוח בדבש
Represents the hope for a sweet new year.
DATES
תמר
One of Shiv’at HaMinim, i.e., THE 7 SPECIES that the Land of Israel was blessed with. The blessing recited relates to the end of our enemies and those that seek our bad fortune.
POMEGRANATE
רימון
One of Shiv’at HaMinim, i.e., THE 7 SPECIES that the Land of Israel was blessed with. It symbolizes the wish to be blessed with many merits corresponding to the pomegranate’s multiple seeds.
PUMPKIN or SQUASH
קרא
Symbolizes the hope to rip an evil decree.
BLACK EYED PEAS
רוביא
Symbolizes our wish to enhance our merits.
LEEKS
כרתי
Symbolizes the hope that our enemies will be blotted out.
BEETS or CHARD or SPINACH
סילקא
Symbolizes the hope that our enemies will be banished.
FISH
דג
Symbolizes the hope to multiply and be plentiful.
CARROTS
גזר
Symbolizes the hope that only good decrees will descend upon us.
SESAME
שומשום
Symbolizes the hope to multiply and be plentiful.
OLIVES
זית
Listed among the Shiv’at HaMinim, i.e., THE 7 SPECIES that the Land of Israel was blessed with and symbolizes hope.
FIGS
תאנה
One of the Shiv’at HaMinim, i.e., THE 7 SPECIES that the Land of Israel was blessed with. They symbolize the hope that our year will be as sweet as a fig.
Rosh Hashanah Overview
| I wanted to know… | In a nutshell… |
|---|---|
| What is Rosh Hashanah? | Rosh Hahsanah is the Jewish New Year that denotes the beginning of the High Holidays. |
| When is Rosh Hashanah observed? | Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first and second days of the Jewish month Tishre. |
| What are the four holidays of Tishre? | * Rosh Hashanah * Yom Kippur * Sukkot * Simchat Torah |
| What does Rosh Hashanah symbolize? | * A New beginning * The birth of mankind |
| What is the customary Rosh Hashanah greeting? | * Shanah Tova שנה טובה (meaning happy year) |
| What are key customs of Rosh Hashanah? | * Earnest prayers * The blowing of the shofar * Festive meals * Simanim – symbolic foods |
| What are the simanim? | Foods that encapsulate the new year wishes Click for Healthy Simanim Recipes |
| What to eat on Rosh Hashanah? | Check out our Healthy Rosh Hashanah Recipe Menus and our selection of Healthy Dairy-Free Rosh Hashanah Treats. |
Kosher Create’s Rosh Hashanah Resources
| TOPIC | RESOURCE |
|---|---|
| Rosh Hashanah Center (YOU’RE HERE) | Rosh Hashanah Healthy Recipes And Ideas![]() |
| Menus | Healthy Dairy-Free Recipe Menus For Rosh Hashanah![]() |
| Desserts | Healthy Dairy-Free Dessert Recipes For Rosh Hashanah![]() |
| Simanim (Symbols) | Rosh Hashanah Symbols Simanim – Healthy Recipes![]() |
Chag Shameach from Kosher Create!
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