Before Rosh Hashanah Begins Tunisian Jews Get Ready for Yom Kippur

For Tunisian Jews Yom Kippur is not for the Faint-Hearted! That's precisely why they have developed a unique pre-Rosh Hashanah custom. It will remind you of the post Succot tradition of tacking full cloves into the Etrog in order to turn it into a creative Havdalah spice.

Here's the deal. Tunisian Jews are mindful of the fact that fasting can affect one's physical well being, to the point of dizziness and fainting. Therefore, before Rosh Hashanah they take a quince fruit, roll it in ground spices, wrap it in a towel and let it sit covered until Yom Kippur. By the time Yom Kippur rolls around the same beautiful yellow quince is now brown, and let's face it, pungent! The strong odor helps people get through the fast day, and makes the day go by fast.

I have no idea what becomes of the quince once the fast is broken. Perhaps it becomes part of a pile of compost? Maybe it's used for Havdalah? But that's not the point. What's wonderful about this custom is that it can provide children with a meaningful and fun activity. It will make them feel part of the Yom Kippur tradition, even if they are not fasting. Seeing that they are creating a home-made "revival" fruit for the adults they love so much -- be it parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles -- they will also inadvertently tap into the ancient tradition of viewing a quince as the fruit of love.
You gotta love this custom. Happy quince hunting.



Quince photo credit

The Jews of Rhodes Have Different Symbolic Foods for Rosh Hashanah

Don't be fooled into thinking these are cherry tomatoes. They are superbly crafted marzipan cherries, similar to the marzipan treats that the Jews of Rhodes make for Rosh Hashanah.

They are part of the Rhodes recipe for a sweet year. In fact, the Jews of Rhodes eat a variety of symbolic foods quite different from the menu we are accustomed to. In addition to marzipan they make a white, lemon-flavored fondant to symbolize purity (and I assume sweetness). Several foods are made in a round shape to represent continuity and wholeness. The lineup includes a festive ring-shaped bread, savory pies, pastries and round, stuffed vegetables.

Salt on the table for Rosh Hashanah? Never. Only sugar. I don't have to explain why. And then there the foods that the Jews of Rhodes avoid eating.  Anything sour or bitter is shelved until after the holiday. Similarly, food goods like dark raisins, black olives and eggplants are scratched off the list since their color is associated with mourning.

While I normally hesitate to write about the cooking customs of different holidays, I couldn't resist this time around. I love the symbolism of the Rhodes Rosh Hashanah table. Tell your children and students about it.  Maybe they can come up with additional ideas.




Marzipan photo credit

A CUSTOM QUESTION: What do King Solomon, Isaac Newton & Steve Jobs Have in Common with Rosh Hashanah?

The connection between Isaac Newton and Steve Jobs is fairly obvious -- the apple of course! But King Solomon? That's a honey of a query. Certainly, he didn't ask: "To bee or not to bee a lover of apples?"

It turns out that this fruit was the apple of his eye. Look at what he penned in The Song of Songs: "As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. Under its shadow I delight to sit, and its fruit was sweet to my taste."

Now there's an Aha moment! In one breath we have an apple and a sweet taste. To paraphrase Newton -- for Solomon, the apple was the force directly proportional to the amount of sweetness we need.

Or perhaps Solomon was more like Steve Jobs, who simply enjoyed picking apples?

Whatever the reason, the lines penned by our ancient king of wisdom could very well be the origin of the apple-eating custom on Rosh Hashanah. And the tradition of dipping this fruit into the sweet, sticky fluid made by bees?

I don't want to upset the apple cart. I'm going to let you and your students/children connect the dots.

I'll be back soon with some more unusual traditions and thoughts about the High Holy Days.














King Solomon Credit
Isaac Newton Credit
Steve Jobs Photo Credit

Lost In Translation

Israelis have a tendency to think only in Israeli terms. After living 36 years in Israel I too tend to go in that direction.  Over the past few years  I've been asking myself why the majority of American Jews seem so disconnected to Israel? This past January I was fortunate enough to join my husband on a semester sabbatical in the Washington D.C. area. I used the opportunity to fly to several states for author presentations and teacher workshops, speak to Jewish educators and just listen, listen, listen to conversations. I returned to Israel realizing that the scope of the disconnect is far broader than I thought, reaching way beyond our tiny Jewish State. I felt compelled to write this article. It was just put up in the LA Jewish Journal and will be appearing in other American Jewish newspapers. Please have a read and let me know what you think of my take.  Do you agree? Disagree? Is there a way I can help you bridge the gap?
Kol Tuv
Tami


Photo credit