by LaSabra Caldwell

Created on: September 04, 2009   Last Updated: September 06, 2009

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. For many people different foods and food dishes are symbols and have different meanings to them. After holiday prayer service people say kiddush over their wine and eat a festive meal. The dip a round challah into honey and say the blessing over the bread. Next they dip a piece of apple into honey and ask for a good and sweet year. Second day of Rosh Hashanah people eat a new fruit that they have not eaten that season so they can say the shehechiyanu blessing. The joy of this New Year's day is reflected in the holiday's food customs.

Honey

Sweet foods are eaten on Rosh Hashanah as a simple of their wish for a sweet year. Honey was a sweetener in biblical times. It also was a symbol of good living and wealth.

Fish

Fish heads are eaten on this holiday, because Rosh means "head of the year". Just as your head/brain directs you, Rosh Hashanah directs the ensuing year. Also fish is eaten on this holiday because of it also symbolizing fertility and abundance.

New Fruit

The blessing said when the new fruit is eaten thanks god for for keeping them alive and for bringing them this season. It reminds them to appreciate the fruits of the earth and being alive to be able to enjoy them.

The pomegranate is often the fruit used as the new fruit. The pomegranate has 613 seeds in it. There were 613 mitzvot. Second reason for eating this fruit is that they wish for good deeds in the new year and for for an ensuing year that will be as plentiful as the seeds in the fruit.

More traditional foods and their meanings:

Round Challah

The round shape symbolizes a perfect year to come.

Head of Lamb, a Sweet Chicken or Meat Dish

The head of the lamb symbolizes the hope that the Jewish people have to lead other nations through their righteousness. The sweet dish is for wish of a sweet year.

Tzimmes

This is an Eastern Europe dish. It is made of honey baked carrots. The carrots symbolizes hope that they will increase their good deeds in the coming year.

Spinach

This is a symbol of a green year filled with plenty of produce.

Rice

Rice is a symbol of abundance.

Honey Cake

It has been said that the prophet Nechemiah started the custom of eating of sweet foods to celebrate a New Year. It was introduced to the Ancient Israelite. It originally started as a Persian custom before introduction to the Israelite people.

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