Rosh Hashanah—the Jewish New Year—falls this year on the evening of Sept. 11: the 25th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks that rocked America and the world. And it’s Shabbat to boot. That means a trifecta of events that will bring the Jewish community together, physically and spiritually.
It also starts the beginning of the Yamim Noraim, the “Days of Awe” dedicated to repentance, spiritual renewal and forgiveness, ending with Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
On the eve of Rosh Hashanah (observance of the two-day holiday ends after sundown on Sept. 13), candles are lit both for the holiday and for Shabbat. Family and friends come together for a special holiday meal. Traditionally for Ashkenazi Jews, apples are dipped in honey, symbolizing the wish for a sweet and happy year ahead. Some Sephardic communities may use sugar or other sweet foods, such as preserves. The focus is on sweet foods, including pomegranates, dates and pumpkins. The head of a fish represents the literal meaning of the holiday—the head of the year.
According to The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden, nothing sour, bitter or black is served. To hold to tradition, a fruit or green tea puts the finishing touch on the meal, instead of coffee.
Rosh Hashanah comes on the heels of Labor Day, when families get their last licks of summer, and when school starts for most children. Indeed, that week can seem overwhelming.
To take some of the pressure off, make a list and shop for your holiday staples in advance. What’s at the top of mine? Buying the best kosher honey available: Manuka honey from New Zealand is expensive, but exceptional. If you can’t find it in stores, try Amazon, where choices abound, and shipping is quick and to your door. There are less expensive varieties, such as Lin’s Honey from wildflowers and L’Shana Tova honey from New York.
Add ingredients for the Georgian Chicken and the Sweet Moist Honey Cake, the latter of which I make year-round. Seven Spices that give a tasty boost; it’s available online from Pereg spices. Crown Challah—round for the New Year, denoting the continuous cycle of life and a crown representing God as king—may be made weeks ahead and frozen. The seeds on top symbolize fertility and plenty, but there’s no shame in buying challah from the store, brushing it lightly with honey and sprinkling a variety of seeds on top before placing on the table.
Much can be done at the last minute. Mango-Melon Soup really is made in a jiffy. Just toss all the ingredients in the blender or food processor, and give it a whirl. The result is a smooth, sweet and tangy cool soup or even a thick beverage. Serve in small glasses with a dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg.
For a simple and refreshing salad, drizzle a bag of arugula (skip the iceberg lettuce this year out of safety precautions) with good olive oil and rice wine vinegar to lightly coat the greens. If desired, garnish with pecans and dried cranberries or raisins. And for an edible centerpiece, heap a bowl high with clementines and tuck in tiny bunches of champagne grapes. The deep-dish apple pie is a nod to America on a day when national pride and sorrow soared.
Back to a more contemplative note this year: Day one of the holiday falls on Shabbat, which is joyous, and Sept. 11, which is not. A quarter of a century has passed since the United States lost nearly 3,000 people in four different airline hijackings, plus all of the law-enforcement officers and brave firefighters who went to work that day and never returned.
An entire generation has grown up with no memory of that day. While they cannot recall the fear and anguish, they also don’t remember the immediate unity all across the country and the world. People of every different faith and background joined together to support and pray for those who died or were injured in the attack sites: New York City (the World Trade Center); Washington, D.C. (the Pentagon); and a field in Western Pennsylvania (Schwenksville).
Rabbi Neil Cooper of Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El in the Philadelphia suburbs (my rabbi at the time, now rabbi emeritus), said: “When I saw the replay of the first building strike, I thought, “How could a pilot be that poorly trained to allow for such an accident? The thought that this was an act of terrorism never crossed my mind. When the second plane hit, I was in total disbelief and had no idea what to think; at the time, an act of terrorism in New York City was almost unbelievable. When it became clear that something else was going on here, I remember going to the schools to pick up my kids. I’m not sure what I thought that would do, but I think my wife and I wanted our kids close since the world beneath us had been so deeply shaken.”
Rosh Hashanah teaches us that a new beginning is possible. Twenty-five years after 9/11 is indeed a time to reflect and remember—and to dream of new beginnings, even in a world that seems compounded by war right now.
With kindness, let us all move forward together.
L’Shanah Tovah!
Crown Challah (Pareve)
Makes 1 loaf
Cook’s Tips:
*Using a food processor speeds up mixing all the ingredients.
*To preserve the aroma and flavor, seeds may be stored in an airtight bag in the freezer.
Ingredients:
½ cup warm water (about 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
2 tablespoons honey, warmed, divided
1 (¼ ounce) envelope rapid-rise dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, divided
Seeds as desired: sesame, black sesame, poppy, pumpkin, cumin, dried onion, caraway, anise.
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix the water and 1 tablespoon honey. Sprinkle the yeast over and stir once or twice. Let stand at room temperature until foamy, 10-15 minutes.
In the food processor, add the flour, salt, oil and yeast mixture.
Lightly beat 2 eggs and add with the remaining 1 tablespoon honey. Pulse in the processor until mixture comes together in a ball, about 30 seconds. Turn onto a floured board. Knead for two minutes or until smooth. Let rest 10 minutes. Punch down.
Spray an 8-inch cake pan with nonstick baking spray. Form the dough into six 2-inch balls and arrange them, touching each other, along the inside rim of the pan.
With remaining dough, make a larger ball and place in the center. Cover lightly with a kitchen towel.
Set in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds of your choice.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown.
Cool for five minutes in pan. Turn onto a wire tray to cool completely.
Mango-Melon Soup (Pareve)
Serves 6
Cook’s Tips:
*In a hurry? Buy precut cantaloupe from a store’s produce department.
*1 large lime equals 3 tablespoons juice.
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen mango cubes, slightly thawed
1½ cups cubed cantaloupe
2 cups peach mango nectar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons honey or to taste
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender jar or food processor. Process until smooth.
Serve at room temperature or chilled in pretty bowls or glasses.
Georgian Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce (Meat)
Serves 5-6
Cook’s Tips:
*May be made two days ahead of time and frozen.
*Use the food processor to coarsely chop the onions. Coarsely chop parsley and cilantro separately.
Ingredients:
2 medium red onions, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley, divided
1 teaspoon bottled chopped garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
½ cup pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
10 chicken thighs, skinless
½ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
Directions:
In a large pot, mix the onions with the cilantro, ½ cup parsley and all the remaining ingredients, except the chicken thighs. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring often.
Add the chicken thighs and ladle the sauce on top. Cover. Cook, simmering, for one hour and 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Meat should be opaque when pierced with a sharp knife.
Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the remaining ½ cup parsley and pomegranate seeds, if using.
Serve hot.
American Deep-Dish Apple Pie (Pareve)
Serves 6-8
Cook’s Tips:
*Use a combination of sweet and tart apples, like Honey Crisp and Granny Smith.
*Substitute ½ teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg for the allspice.
Ingredients:
7-8 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, whisked
1 sheet puff pastry (half of a 17.3-ounce package)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, toss the apples with lemon juice, sugar, flour and spice of choice.
Transfer to a 9x9 baking dish. Dot with butter.
Press out the fold lines on the puff pastry sheet and place over the filling. Pinch edges to cover. Brush with egg. Cut four to five slits in the pastry to vent steam.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes until crust is golden and apples are tender.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with nondairy frozen yogurt.
Sweet, Moist Honey Cake (Pareve)
Serves 12-15
Cook’s Tips:
*Makes 1 loaf (8x4-inch loaf pan), plus 3 mini loaves, or one cake using a Bundt pan.
*Use 1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice instead of Seven Spices.
*Cooked cake freezes well.
Ingredients:
4 eggs
½ cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin-pie mix)
¾ cup molasses
½ cup honey, warmed
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon Seven Spice (seasoning)
½ cup raisins (optional, adds sweetness)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray pans with nonstick baking spray with flour.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and water until blended. Add in the remaining wet ingredients. Mix well.
Stir in the brown sugar and flour, about half a cup at a time. Add the baking soda and spice with the last half-cup flour. Spoon the batter into prepared pans. Scatter raisins over top.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Mini-pans will bake in about 35 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Loosen edges by running a round-bladed knife around the edges. Turn onto a wire tray to cool completely.
Ethel G. Hofman is a widely syndicated American Jewish food and travel columnist, author and culinary consultant.
