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2 MIN READ

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

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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

A beautiful day for the annual Greek Jewish festiv A beautiful day for the annual Greek Jewish festival on the Lower East Side, organized by Kehila Kedosha Janina synagogue. Nice to see Sarah Aroeste and Susan Barocas at the Savor table and nosh on sesame candies. I even got to sign a few copies of my cookbooks « A Fistful of Lentils » and « Too Good To Passover » at the cookbook table!

Find out more and order the whole package of music, recipes and videos at savorexperience.com. 

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

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #savorexperience #ladino #sephardic
Join me and other women chefs from around the worl Join me and other women chefs from around the world for the “Savor: A Sephardic Music & Food Experience” virtual release party on SUNDAY, APRIL 23.

This is a multisensory way to learn about and experience Sephardic culture and history. Ten songs about food on the latest album by singer Sarah Aroeste are paired with recipes and cooking videos by women chefs from around the world including me. I'm so proud to be part of Savor! 

Find out more and pre-order the whole package of music, recipes and videos at savorexperience.com. 

REGISTER FOR FREE! 
at bit.ly/SavorRelease.

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

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #savorexperience #ladino #sephardic
Just because Passover is over doesn’t mean that Just because Passover is over doesn’t mean that we have stopped celebrating! In North African Jewish communities special breads are prepared to mark the end of the 8-day bread “fast” during a festival called Mimouna. 

Here is an example of a Libyan yeast bread with olive oil and fennel seeds called La Mimuna (like the name of the holiday itself). The hard boiled egg in the center represents fertility, the cycle of life, and new beginnings. The breads are reminiscent of special braided breads prepared for Easter by neighboring Christian communities. 
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #mimouna #libyanfood #breads #eggs #fertility #mufleta
What we all look forward to: matzah brei for break What we all look forward to: matzah brei for breakfast! Need to buy more eggs…
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matzahbrei #matza #matzah #kosherforpassover
The best crafts are ones you can eat later.
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #granola #matzah #kosherforpassover
Open-faced Hillel sandwich. . . “Too Good To Pa Open-faced Hillel sandwich. 
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon.

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #granola #matzah #kosherforpassover #hillelsandwich
Passover 5783 has arrived. . “Too Good To Passo Passover 5783 has arrived.
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“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon, and if you are in New York City you can pick up a signed copy at @kalnyc Kitchen Arts & Letters cookbook store on Upper East Side!

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #matzah #sedertable
Matzah farfola? Kosher for Passover granola. “ Matzah farfola? Kosher for Passover granola. 

“Too Good To Passover” cookbook available on Amazon, and if you are in New York City you can pick up a signed copy at @kalnyc Kitchen Arts & Letters cookbook store on Upper East Side!

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #matza #granola #matzah #kosherforpassover
Macaroons made ahead and frozen for Passover! Fr Macaroons made ahead and frozen for Passover! 

From “Too Good To Passover” cookbook:

Syrian pistachio macaroons with orange blossom water (page 396)

Italian almond-pignoli macaroons (page 616)

Books available on Amazon, and if you are in New York City you can pick up a signed copy at @kalnyc Kitchen Arts & Letters cookbook store on Upper East Side!

#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #moyenorient #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #macaroons #amaretticookies #pignoli #almonds #pistachios #italianpastries
Vicki still has her great-grandmother Vida’s ori Vicki still has her great-grandmother Vida’s original burmelos pan from Monastir (today the city of Bitola) in the Republic of Macedonia. Her great-grandmother was Greek from Salonika (now Thessaloniki) but moved to Monastir to marry Vicki’s great-grandfather and join the Ladino-speaking Sephardic community. At the time the city was a part of the Ottoman Empire.

For a Passover burmuelos/bimuelos/bumuelos recipe check out my cookbook “Too Good To Passover” and look for the Greek, Turkish, and Bulgarian chapters!

Link in bio to my new website for upcoming Passover prep lessons and to purchase my cookbook.

“Too Good To Passover” is available on Amazon in the U.S. Canada, Europe, and Japan.
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#passover #seder #sépharade #nourriturejuive #kascher #méditerranéen #toogoodtopassover #jenniferabadi #afistfuloflentils #kosherfood #jewishfood #sephardicfood #middleeasternfood #arabicfood #conversion #syrianfood #virtuallearning #virtualcookingclass #personalchef #privatechef #passover2023 #passoverrecipes #sephardiccommunity #turkishfood #monastir #macedonia #bitola #ottomanempire #bunuelos #greekfood
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Jennifer Abadi | A Seder Plate for Rosh HaShannah? (It’s not just for Passover!)