“And above all, remember that the meaning of life is to build a life as if it were a work of art.”
Rabbi Abraham Josua Heschel
Cecile and I enjoyed a dinner last evening at our home with our daughter Michelle, son-in-law Kyle, and our granddaughters Lyla and Emmy, along with our son Jason and Alex.
We had an assortment of appetizers including eggplant and Israeli hummus dips with pita bread and fresh veggies, dried Turkish apricots, gouda and manchego cheese and Spanish Marcona almonds. Cecile made a delicious Chicken Marbella, a Spanish and Moroccan-inspired chicken dish with green olives and marinated in Pino Grigio wine. She also prepared a fresh and colorful green salad with tomatoes, sliced nectarines and figs with homemade crusted corn bread croutons served with basmati rice. For dessert we had apple pie, shortbread cookies with chocolate and a homemade Iced Cream pie with Oreo cookie crust and topped with fresh whipped cream that Michelle and Lyla made.
Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew for “head of the year”) which began yesterday at sunset commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a ten-day period of introspection & renewal that culminates in the Yom Kippur holiday (Day of Atonement). It is a time for people of the Jewish faith to take stock of the past year and become mindful of what they want the next year to bring. God knows with all that has happened in the world of late we (Jews and non Jews alike) can use a little renewal. I feel blessed to have married into a Jewish family and partake in celebration of the Jewish New Year 5782. It is customary to wish those celebrating the New Year “Shana Tova,” meaning “for a good year.”
Honey is one of the central foods enjoyed during Rosh Hashanah, which is popularly incorporated into cakes, cookies, challah (bread) and other foods as well as enjoyed on its own or with a slices of apple. Eating honey symbolizes a hope for a sweet new year. Another important food tradition is to serve food that is round. Traditionally the Jewish Sabbath bread, challah is oval-shaped. However, on Rosh Hashanah, a round challah as seen in some of my photos symbolize the never-ending cycle of years and seasons. Before eating a prayer was said over the bread called the Hamotzi led by Michelle. Cecile (Nonnie) had purposely brushed a swipe of honey at the top of the challah and embedded some multi-colored sugar pieces for Lyla to enjoy.
The shofar, is another custom or ritual utilized during Rosh Hashanah. It is a special instrument that sounds like a trumpet, and is made out of a sheep’s horn that has been hallowed out. The shofar blast, which in ancient Hebrew times was a call for battle is a call to turn inward to contemplate one’s life so one is able to then burst out and contribute to the world. The one shown sitting on a plexiglass stand in front of the white hydrangeas and roses in the photograph was given to Jason as a gift for his Bar Mitzvah when he came of age (13). The colorful quilted blanket our granddaughter Emmy is blissfully laying on was a gift for Jason after he was born.
Shana Tova!
