Check out that view! Some Brazilian friends of mine hosted a seder for Rosh Hashana from their apartment at the the Sail.
Do you have balcony-envy right now? I totally have balcony-envy right now.
Anyways a lot of folks have been asking me about the symbolism of the New Year foods, and to be honest, I didn’t really know much beyond the pomegranate!
So, for the sake of my own education (and yours) I’ll show you the rockin’ seder plates that S & R put together to symbolize a sweet, prolific and successful new year:
1. Apples and Honey (not pictured): symbolizes a sweet new year.
2. Dates: An end to your enemies and those who wish evil upon you.
3. White beans: That your merits should increase and you should be heartened.
4. Carrots: Also that your merits should increase.
5. Leek: Again, that your enemies should be cut down.
6. Beet: That your enemies and those who wish evil upon you shall depart (are you sensing a theme here?).
7. Pumpkin: That the evil of your verdicts be ripped, and that your merits be announced.
8. Pomegranate: the seeds symbolize the 613 miztvot (commandments).
9. Gifilte fish (not pictured): That we should be fruitful and multiply like fish.
10. Fish head (not pictured): May you be a head and not a tail (i.e. a leader, not a follower).
So are you feeling enlightened? I am. How bout we ’round this evening out Singaporean style with a Tiger Beer.
Alright, who’s New Year is next?
11 comments
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September 12, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Emma Lee
Dang, total balcony-envy on my end too!
September 13, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Crystal
that view kicks my view’s ass….
September 13, 2010 at 3:18 pm
bookjunkie
Wow….to wake up to that view every day and especially with the lights at night reflecting off the water…..beautiful :) green with envy ;-)
September 13, 2010 at 11:54 pm
kierstens
Seriously…my only consolation is that I can walk out onto my balcony for fresh air. Upwards of the 40th floor, I’d be surprised if the windows even opened…
September 13, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Frenchy
I knew the meaning of the different foods on Rosh Hashana. But the ones we use are different. We do eat apple, dates, leak and fish but we eat green beans, peach in honey, sesame seeds in honey, squash instead of pumpkin… I guess the foods depend on where people lived. People from Poland had hard time finding dates!
September 13, 2010 at 11:53 pm
kierstens
Wait, you do this Tunisian style or Polish style? Pick one!
September 14, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Frenchy
Algerian style!
September 14, 2010 at 8:54 am
AR
Okay, a coupla things: I have complete balcony envy. Don’t ever take a picture like that again and post it or I may go up in a puff of smoke. Also, it’s gefilte fish.
The watchword of our faith is not just a prayer, its: They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat!
L’Shanah Tovah….xoxo
September 14, 2010 at 8:56 am
kierstens
Whoops thanks for catching the typo! And I’m all for any faith that encourages eating!!
September 14, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Paula
Kie! At my Rosh Hashanah meal, in Baka, Jerusalem, we also had an array of sweet treats and a seder. It was my first time taking part in the tradition, but I had no idea about the symbolism. Thank you so much. Keep up the wonderful posts.
September 15, 2010 at 7:44 am
kierstens
Same here…kinda fun, right?