L'shanah Tovah!

Today is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (5769). We celebrated yesterday on Erev Rosh Hashanah for it is not always easy for my husband to take off on the actual Jewish holidays.

An acquaintance asked me about Jewish holidays just last month. I was happy to explain, to the best of my knowledge, the basic facts regarding the holidays she mentioned as well as about some she didn't even know existed. It was really fun to share this information and she was truly interested in learning about our holidays. So, in this spirit, as the holidays roll around, I will share a bit about them for those who might want to learn.

In a nutshell...well, I tried putting it in a nutshell. I failed miserably so I took some information from Judaism 101 and copied it here:

...In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation. -Leviticus 16:24

Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year." Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year.

The Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year.

The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25.

The shofar is a ram's horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet. One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the synagogue.

A popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year. We also dip bread in honey (instead of the usual practice of sprinkling salt on it) at this time of year for the same reason.

Another popular practice of the holiday is Tashlikh ("casting off"). We walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins. Small pieces of bread are commonly put in the pocket to cast off.

The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah ("for a good year"). This is a shortening of "L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem" (or to women, "L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'taihatemi"), which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."

Because we do not belong to a synagogue (not so many choices as churches) we cook a feast, bake a delicious apple/honey inspired dessert and hike to a nearby stream to throw in our breadcrumbs. (Click here to see a funny list of breadcrumbs and our walk to the creek.)

It would be nice to belong to a synagogue, but the intimacy of our holiday together is wonderful because we pray together, read from our Bible together and we learn and grow. We talk about our "resolutions" and we enjoy a lovely feast. My husband even sounds the shofar. (We don't have a real ram's horn). What makes that even more special for me is that my Marine isn't even Jewish. I am so grateful for his participation, his respect and his desire to learn.

This year's dessert: Apple-Honey Turnovers with Cinnamon Ice Cream (My boys put cinnamon "chimneys" on the turnovers because they thought they looked like a roof!)

Apple-Honey Turnovers

Click here for the pate feuilletee recipe, by Martha Stewart.

Filling

2 apples, very thinly sliced (I use the slicer on my food processor)

2 tablespoons orange blossom honey

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice or orange blossom water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

egg white for brushing the pastry

sugar for sprinkling

cinnamon sticks, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg
   
2. In a small bowl, mix together the honey and orange water (or juice)


3. Coat the apples with the honey mixture


4. Gently toss the apples in the sugar mixture, coating the apples (there may be a lot of liquid depending on the apples and that is ok, just let them soak in it while you prep the dough, but remove from the liquid before filling.)


5. Roll out the pate feuilletee and cut to create 4 -4 inch squares.


6. Fill half of the square, fold into a triangle and press the edges together with a fork.


7. Poke a few holes in the top with the fork.


8. Brush with egg whites and sprinkle some granulated sugar over the tops.


9. Place the cinnamon stick in the pastry if you choose.


10. Bake at 425 degrees until golden brown.