Happy New Year! May your year be sweet and filled with joy!
Wait a minute... It's September...New Year? Yes! It's the Jewish New Year, otherwise known as Rosh HaShanah, the start of the "High Holidays" [this holiday period lasts ten days and concludes with Yom Kippur], "Days of Awe" or simply 5784.
While the Gregorian calendar ends in December and follows the sun cycles, other calendars follow the moon cycles. The Jewish calendar is based on both the moon and the sun, making it a lunisolar calendar. It's also adjusted every few years by adding an additional month to keep it synchronized with the solar/agricultural cycle, so sometimes there are 13 months in its calendar year.
So is it time to break out the Champagne, noise makers, and funny sunglasses that say 5784? Well, you could if that's your thing, but Rosh HaShanah (which literally translates to "Head of the Year" in Hebrew) has a deeper meaning than just changing the calendar. New Year is a time of reflection (with a heavy dose of self-reflection), forgiveness, and renewal for most Jewish folks. It's also a time to wish others a sweet year filled with joy and promise. One of the best ways to celebrate Jewish New Year is with food.
Honey figures high in most Rosh HaShanah recipes, either for dipping (apples and hallah bread) or added to honey cakes, pastries, and all manner of treats. Dates are also popular. On the second night, many people enjoy new fruits of the season, such as pomegranate, but it can also be any new or exotic fruit. This tradition has become a way to taste the year's newness by enjoying something new and unfamiliar.
The library has a wonderful collection of cookbooks on Jewish holiday cooking and Jewish and Kosher cookbooks. In addition, our rare books collection includes Jewish cookbooks that date back to the 19th Century and can be used for research and reference. Make a new dish for the New Year!
Shanah Tovah! שנה טובה! and Tzku l’shaneem rabot! תזכו לשנים רבות!
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Beyond Chopped Liver: 59 Jewish Recipes Get a Vegan Health Makeover
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Eat Something: A Wise Sons Cookbook for Jews Who Like Food and Food Lovers Who Like Jews
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I Could Nosh: Classic Jew-ish Recipes Revamped for Every Day
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Iconic New York Jewish Food: A History and Guide With Recipes
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Indian-Jewish Cooking
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Jew-ish: Reinvented Recipes From a Modern Mensch
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Jewish Flavours of Italy: A Family Cookbook
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Jewish Holiday Cooking: More Than 200 Delicious Recipes for Celebrating
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Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook: Revised and Updated
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King Solomon's Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking from Around the World
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Kosher USA: How Coke Became Kosher and Other Tales of Modern Food
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KosherSoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew
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Let's Eat: Jewish Food and Faith
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Little Book of Jewish Sweets
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Modern Jewish Baker: Challah, Babka, Bagels & More
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Modern Jewish Cooking: Recipes & Customs for Today's Kitchen
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Modern Kosher: Global Flavors, New Traditions
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My Life in Recipes: Food, Family, and Memories
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Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World
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Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome's Jewish Kitchen
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Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors From My Israeli Kitchen
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Shabbat: Recipes and Rituals from my Table to Yours
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The 100 Most Jewish Foods: A Highly Debatable List
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The Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook: 50 Traditional Recipes for Every Occasion
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The German Baking Book: Cakes, Tarts, Breads and More from the Black Forest and Beyond
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The Jewish Deli: An Illustrated Guide to the Chosen Food
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The Jewish Food Hero Cookbook: 50 Simple Plant-Based Recipes for Your Holiday Meals
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The Modern Jewish Table: 100 Kosher Recipes From Around the Globe
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The New Mediterranean Jewish Table: Old World Recipes for the Modern Home
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Totally Kosher: Tradition With a Twist! 150+ Recipes