Rosh Hashanah is a a two day holiday celebrated on the First & Second of Tishrei. 

Rosh Hashanah happens on

Sept.  7 & 8, 2002 Tishrei 1,2  5763

Sept. 27 & 28, 2003 Tishrei 1,2  5764

Sept. 16 & 17, 2004 Tishrei 1,2  5765

Rosh Hashanah - Traditions & Story

Rosh Hashanah, the New Year, and Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, are two very important holidays in the Jewish calendar. 

On Rosh Hashanah, Jews all over the world gather in synagogues to celebrate the day HaShem created Adam and Khavah (Eve), the first humans.

We celebrate Rosh Hashanah with sweet foods, like apples dipped in honey and honey cake, as a wish for a sweet year. Some families also celebrate with symbolic foods like the head of a fish, pomegranates, and carrots.

The head of a fish is so that we can be "like the head and not like the tail." This is a symbol of having a year in which we are on top and not the bottom. Pomegranates are symbolic of plenty. Have you ever tried to count how many seeds there are in a pomegranate? Far too many to count. We want plenty of health and happiness for the New Year, just as many good things as there are seed in a pomegranate.

We also eat carrots, and it isn't just to see better in the dark. For Ashkenazi Jews, carrots symbolize the Yiddish word "merren" which also means more. We want more of all the good things in life. More health, more happiness, more success. For Sephardic Jews, carrots are symbolic of the phrase "Yikaretu oyveychem" which means may your enemies be cut down. We ask that those who wish bad for us not get their wish, that they don't succeed.

And of course, we have round Challot made with honey and raisins. These are another symbol of a sweet and happy year. We put decorations on the Challot, such as birds (symbolizing doves of peace).

Rosh Hashanah starts on the first day of Tishrei and lasts two days. Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the Yamim Noraim, the ten days of atonement.

On Rosh Hashanah, all mankind is judged. HaShem writes the judgment for each of us in the Book of Life. This judgment is based on our lives of the year before, and is the decision of what will happen to us in the coming year.

But the judgment is not final. The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur give us a time to change the judgment for good. We are given the chance to improve our coming year through Teshuvah (asking forgiveness), Tefillah (prayer), and Tzedakah (charity).

On Rosh Hashanah we wish each other "L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevuh" may you be written in for a good year. But Rosh HaShanah is not the end of the judgment, it is only on Yom Kippur that our judgment is made final.

Rosh Hashanah - Tashlich

"You will cast all your sins into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:19)

On the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah it is tradition to walk to a river or spring (preferably one that has fish in it) and recite special prayers called penitential prayers.  After you say the prayers you throw the bread crumbs into the water.

Some people keep a piece of the Afikoman from Passover for this purpose and thus link the holidays together.

Tossing the bread crumbs on the water is symbolic of casting away our sins and starting a new year with a clean slate.

If the first day of Rosh Hashanah is on Shabbat then Tashlich is traditionally done on the second day. 

Crunchy Lettuce Salad

Salad:

1 bag - Checked lettuce

Chow mein noodles

Slivered almonds

Sesame seeds (optional)

 Dressing:

1/3 cup - Vinegar

6 Tbs. - Brown sugar

1 tsp. - Salt

1/3 cup - Oil

Refrigerate dressing. Dress salad right before serving.

Minestrone Soup

1 packet - Minestrone mix

6 cups - Boiled water

15 1/2 oz. can - Whole tomatoes with the juice

15 1/2 oz. can - Drained red kidney beans

1 large - Onion, chopped

6 Tbs. - Margarine

1 tsp. - Oregano

1 tsp. - Garlic powder

2 tsp. - Sugar

1/4 tsp. - Pepper

1/2 tsp. - Salt (optional)

1 medium - Zucchini (optional)

Saute onion in margarine until golder. Add rest of ingredients (except zucchini). Slightly break tomatoes with fork. Bring to boil, then simmer for one hour. Add zucchini slices during last ten minutes of cooking.

Chicken Cutlets

1 lb. - Chicken cutlets

1/2 cup - Italian dressing (low cal. or regular)

1/4 cup - Matza meal

1/2 cup - Flavored bread crumbs

Oil, for frying

Dip chicken cutlet in Italian dressing, then into Matza meal mixed with bread crumbs. Fry both sides in oil on medium-high flame until golden brown. Cutlets can also be baked in the oven.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs

1lb. - Ground beef

1 - Egg, beaten

1/3 cup - Brown sugar

2 tsp. - Tomato paste

2 tsp. - Matza meal

1 tsp. - Onion powder

Salt

 Sauce

1 large can - Tomato sauce

1 can - Water

2 Tbs. - Lemon juice

1/2 - Onion, diced

1/4 cup - Brown sugar

Salt and ginger

Mix all sauce ingredients in a large pot and bring to boil.

Mix meat ingredients, and shape into balls. Add meatballs to the boiling sauce, and simmer until cooked.

Stuffed Cabbage

1 head - Cabbage

2 - Onions, chopped

2 Tbs. - Ketchup

1 Tbs. - Sugar

1/2 tsp. - Salt

Juice of 1 lemon

2 lb. - Chop meat

1 Tbs. - Sugar

1/2 tsp. - Salt

Juice of 1 lemon

4 - Unsalted crackers, soaked in water

2 Tbs. - Ketchup

1 large can - Tomatoes, strained

Pinch of paprika

1 Tbs. - Honey

1 Tbs. - Brown sugar

Carefully remove cabbage leaves; steam in a pot of boiling water. Cut up onions and place in large pan; add next 4 ingredients and simmer until onions are cooked. Mix together the onion mixture, meat, and next 5 ingredients until fluffy. Place a ball of meat mixture on each cabbage leaf and roll up. Place in a pot containing the tomatoes, paprika, honey, and brown sugar. Simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Apple Kugel

6 cups - Flour

2 cups. - Sugar

2 Tbs. - Baking powder

2 packages - Vanilla sugar

2 - Eggs

1 1/4 cups - Oil

1 can - apples or 10 apples, sliced

Mix all ingredients except for apples. Layer alternating mixture and apples. Place in a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour.

Sweet Potato Pie

9 inch - Pie crust, pre-baked

40 oz. - Caned yams

3 - Eggs, separated

1/4 cup and 3 Tbs. - Sugar

2 Tbs. - Margarine, melted

1/2 tsp. - Salt

1/2 cup - Parve (non-dairy) milk

1/2 cup - Water

1/2 tsp. - Vanilla

1/4 cup - Coconut

Beat yams, egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, margarine, salt, parve milk, and water. Pour mixture into pre-baked pie crust, and bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes.

Take pie out of oven.

Beat egg whites until firm and add 3 Tbs. of sugar and vanilla. Pour on top of pie and sprinkle with coconut. Bake pie at 425 degrees F. for an addotional 5 minutes.

Tzimmis

4 bunches - Carrots

3 Tbs - Brown sugar

2 Tbs - Oil

2 tsp - Salt

Grate/cut carrots into fine pieces. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Let simmer on a small flame without water. When slightly brown, add a little water. Cook over low heat for about two hours