• HOME
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • ARTICLES
  • UPCOMING EVENTS
  • COOKING CLASS CATALOG
  • COOKBOOKS
  • GIFT CERTIFICATES
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
    • RECIPES
    • ARTICLES
  • UPCOMING EVENTS
  • COOKING CLASS CATALOG
  • COOKBOOKS
  • GIFT CERTIFICATES
  • CONTACT
2 MIN READ

A Seder Plate for Rosh HaShannah? (It’s not just for Passover!)

<?php echo pulse_output(); ?>

Did you know that in some Sephardic homes there is the custom of presenting a special Seder plate before the Rosh HaShanna meal, just like one does for the Passover Seder? Eight symbolic foods (Simanim) are selected and arranged on a platter to ensure a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year, and while certain ones may physically represent an idea (such as using pomegranates to symbolize fertility and abundance because of the many seeds within), another less obvious food choice may be made simply because its name in Hebrew sounds like another Hebrew word with a different meaning (for example: using a leek because its Hebrew word karati sounds like karat meaning “to cut off,” implying the hope of breaking away from one’s enemies). Below is a quick guideline or listing of the types of things often used on a Rosh Hashanna Seder plate:

For the New Year, we eat foods that symbolize the following:
Luck

Abundance (foods that are plentiful)
Mitzvot (good deeds)
Fertility, Life (foods that are round, continuous, plentiful)
Leadership
The act of breaking away from evil, enemies and bad things

 

VARIOUS FOODS USED TO REPRESENT THE FOLLOWING IDEAS:

happiness, prosperity, good luck and success:
Aniseed, round challah with raisins added, sweet wine, stuffed foods like gefilte fish, tzimmes (sweet stew: carrot, sweet potatoes, prunes, raisins, sometimes meat)

fertility:
Apples, pears (first fruits of season from the tree, dipped in honey, sugar, or sesame seeds for abundance and extra sweetness)

good deeds (mitzvot) and abundance:
Pomegranate seeds (belief that there are as many seeds — 613, as there are mitzvot)

peace:
Dates (Hebrew word for date is tamar and is related to word tam meaning, “to end” in hopes that our enemies will end)

happiness: Gourd, pumpkin, butternut or acorn squash (Hebrew word for gourd is kara, which also means “to announce,” and rhymes with a similar sounding word meaning “to rip apart”)

freedom: Spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard, kale, beet leaves (Hebrew word for beets is seleka and related to root selek meaning, “to depart” or “remove” implying that enemies and bad luck be taken out; Aramaic word for leafy green, like spinach, is silka)

friendship, freedom from enemies: Leeks, chives, scallions, spring onions (Hebrew word for leek is karati and sounds like karat meaning “to cut off,” implying from one’s enemies)

leadership: Whole Fish (with head left intact), ram’s head, head of cabbage, garlic (“Head” of year, leaders to all nations, poor and powerless, move forward/ahead/progress)

commemorating tribulations, difficulties, struggles, and hardships of past year:
Savory and bitter foods

prosperity: String beans, peas, beans (plentiful, abundant, round/circle of life) (Hebrew word for beans is lubia, sounds related to Hebrew word lev meaning “heart,” and rav meaning “many”)

NOTE: Some refrain from eating lemon or salt fearing that it will bring bad luck in coming year.

SHANA TOVA METUKA!

Tags
apples
dates
evil
fertility
fish
freedom
good deeds
good luck
happiness
head
honey
karat
karati
leadership
leeks
mitzvot
Passover
prosperity
Rosh Hashanna
Rosh Hashannah
seder plate
shana tova
simanim
symbolic foods
to cut off

3 Comments

on A Seder Plate for Rosh HaShannah? (It’s not just for Passover!).
  1. Robert Levinep
    September 23, 2014 @ 6:04 pm
    -

    Very interesting post!

  2. albeech
    September 16, 2015 @ 11:10 am
    -

    What an interesting post on how to make Rosh Hashanah even more meaningful. I love learning others traditions and the foods that people have used to represent the past, present and future. I can now be more creative through the foods that I choose to eat, serve or have on hand at our celebrations (We used to use the whole fish/fish head, but I definitely like using a cabbage better!). It’s especially helpful since I just hosted my first Rosh Hashanah dinner!

    Thank you and Shana Tova!

  3. Jennifer Abadi
    September 16, 2015 @ 11:13 am
    -

    Thank you Andrea! Shana Tova Metuka to you and all of my readers out there!

jenniferabadi

Something to be thankful for during Thanksgiving w Something to be thankful for during Thanksgiving weekend.

Welcome home. Bring them home. 

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #toogoodtopassover #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #israelifood #israel #standwithisrael #bringthemhome #neveragain #welcomehome
FOOD FIGHT!? The latest anti-Israeli petition dem FOOD FIGHT!?

The latest anti-Israeli petition demands a complete boycott of all Israeli restaurants and food labeled Israeli claiming that it is an appropriation of Palestinian cuisine and an attempt to “erase” Palestinian people. While I understand the desire to raise awareness about the foods of the Palestinian people (or any other community) we have to be careful if the means by which we learn about or appreciate one cultural heritage requires an absolute cancellation of another community in the process. 

Palestinians and Israelis, Jews and Arab Muslims, have more in common with one another genetically and historically than our differences. While cultural variations exist, the overall ingredients and techniques used to create and develop particular recipes are often more reflective of a region than a geographical border.

The biggest issue I have with this petition is not with the Palestinians but with those chefs, restaurant owners, and bakery chains who think that by signing it they are automatically elevated to a higher level of authenticity (perhaps we should start a ratings system for this?). I suggest that they be careful where they put their John Hancock because one day they might find themselves in a position of having to share the results of their 23andMe ancestry to apply for a license to prepare hummus. (And as a Jew with Syrian roots I think that my DNA should give me some right to comment.)

So—to Israeli and Jewish chefs, restaurant owners, bakers, and cooks: hang in there! There was once a time in America when only “Freedom fries” were available, and nowadays you can only find the French kind.

#syrianjewsinamerica #palestinianjews #israel #standwithisrael #kosherfood #jewishfood #jewishpride #mizrahiheritagemonth #mizrahi #toogoodtopassover #fistfuloflentils #sephardiccommunity #culturalheritage #foodheritage #israelifood
When Upper West Siders go to see the balloons. Ha When Upper West Siders go to see the balloons.

Happy Thanksgiving!

#thanksgiving #thanksgivingdayparade #newyorkcity #snoopy #balloons #traditions #americanholiday #turkey #macysparade #thankful
Are you a Mizrahi Jew? Help me to raise awarenes Are you a Mizrahi Jew? 

Help me to raise awareness about “Eastern” Jews by emailing me the following info so that I can share it on Instagram:

—A (relatively clear) photo of you or the person whom you would like me to highlight
—The person’s name
—The country that they came from
—The name of a favorite dish from this country/background (please give me official/traditional name + English translation or description)

You can email me with info and questions: Jennifer@JenniferAbadi.com

Thank you!

#syrianjewsinamerica #palestinianjews #israel #standwithisrael #kosherfood #jewishfood #jewishpride #mizrahiheritagemonth #mizrahi #toogoodtopassover #fistfuloflentils #sephardiccommunity #maghrebijews #middleeasternjews #middleeasternfood #middleeasterncuisine
It’s hard to believe that tomorrow will be 6 wee It’s hard to believe that tomorrow will be 6 weeks since the hostages were taken from Israel. The posters persist to remind us of who is still missing, while pieces of tape and ripped paper remind us of those who prefer that we forget. 

Don’t forget. Bring them home. Shabbat shalom.

“Too Good To Passover” and “A Fistful of Lentils” cookbooks available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #toogoodtopassover #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #israelifood #israel #standwithisrael #bringthemhome #neveragain
Upper West Side, New York. Bring them home. “T Upper West Side, New York. Bring them home. 

“Too Good To Passover” and “A Fistful of Lentils” cookbooks available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #toogoodtopassover #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood israel #standwithisrael #bringthemhome
My great-grandmother was born in Hebron, Palestine My great-grandmother was born in Hebron, Palestine. She was a Palestinian Jew. A Syrian Jew. An American Jew. An Israeli. And a New Yorker. She spoke Hebrew. Arabic. And English. She was an amazing baker.

My great-grandfather was born in Aleppo, Syria. He was a Syrian Jew. An American Jew. An Israeli. And a New Yorker. He spoke and wrote in Hebrew. Arabic. And English. He was the rabbi of the Syrian-Jewish community in Brooklyn.

Please don’t tell me that as Jews they did not belong in any of these places.

#syrianjewsinamerica #palestinianjews #israel #standwithisrael #kosherfood #jewishfood #jewishpride #mizrahiheritagemonth #mizrahi #toogoodtopassover #fistfuloflentils #sephardiccommunity
Eating kosher gluten-free bagels on Halloween with Eating kosher gluten-free bagels on Halloween with my friend and colleague Joel Haber visiting from Israel.

#cookingclasses #jewishfood #kosherfood #koshercooking #upperwestsidenyc #israel #supportisrael
Smoothie bar at JCC Manhattan Fall Fun Fest social Smoothie bar at JCC Manhattan Fall Fun Fest social for BBYO teens. Sign up for my first Teens-only Cooking Social Series: Easy Fun Fad Foods!

TEENS
(5 classes):
Sept 26-Oct 24 

TWEENS
(5 classes):
Starting in November 

Go to my website for link to JCC Manhattan to register.

#cookingclassesforkids #cookingclasses #jewishfood #kosherfood #koshercooking #bbyo #teenprograms #tweenprograms #jcccommunity #upperwestsidenyc
Looking forward to 5784. Shana tova! #roshhashana Looking forward to 5784. Shana tova!

#roshhashana #5784 #shanatova #happynewyear #jewishholidays #Jewish food #challah #bread
Load More...
Jennifer Abadi | A Seder Plate for Rosh HaShannah? (It’s not just for Passover!)