Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins this year on Friday, Sept. 11 at sundown. In the past, I have written about the customs and traditions of Ashkenazi Jews. Ashkenazi Jews are the Jewish ethnic identity most readily recognized by North Americans. This community originated in medieval Germany. Today, Ashkenazi refers more broadly to Jews from Central and Eastern Europe. For today’s article, I am focusing on Sephardic Jewish New Year traditions. First, who are Sephardic Jews?
Sephardic Jews are a major Jewish diaspora group whose origins trace to the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula — primarily Spain and Portugal — and their descendants. The term comes from Sepharad, the Hebrew name for Iberia mentioned in the Book of Obadiah. Jewish presence in Hispania dates to the Roman period.
From the eighth to 15th centuries, especially under Muslim rule in Al-Andalus, Sephardic Jews flourished as poets, physicians and leaders in both Jewish and secular life. On March 31, 1492, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile issued the Alhambra Decree, ordering all unconverted Jews to leave their kingdoms and territories by the end of July unless they converted to Christianity. Many left, while others converted.
Their arrival in the Americas is an interesting chapter in Sephardic history. The Sephardic communities of the Americas were not founded directly from Spain or Portugal. They were established by families from Amsterdam and London who had already left Iberia a generation or two earlier.
Many early American Sephardic communities can trace their origins to one significant event. Around 600 Jews left Amsterdam for Dutch Brazil in 1642. When Portugal retook Recife in 1654, the community scattered. Some went to Curaçao, others went to the Guianas and 23 reached New Amsterdam, now New York City, where they founded what became Shearith Israel. It is the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States.
One aspect I learned during my research is that many Sephardic Jews include a seder as part of their Rosh Hashanah tradition. You may remember from my previous articles that a seder is a traditional part of the holiday dinner during Passover.
A Rosh Hashanah seder is a festive, ritual meal held on one or both nights of the Jewish New Year. It draws from the Passover seder format but uses symbolic foods and blessings that express hopes for a sweet and prosperous year.
While the Passover seder is more widely known, the Rosh Hashanah seder is a Sephardic tradition with roots in Israel. It has grown in popularity among other Jewish communities worldwide. Although it is not part of the standard Ashkenazi Rosh Hashanah liturgy, it is embraced by many to add meaning and variety to the holiday meal. Similar to the Passover seder, the Rosh Hashana seder has symbolic foods. Unlike the Passover seder plate, which focuses on the past (think “The Ten Commandments” movie), the Sephardic plate focuses on the future.
The seder plate is filled with special foods called “simanim,” which literally means “signs.” These foods symbolize good omens for the future. Items commonly found on the plate include squash, fenugreek (a clover-like herb), beans, beets, gourds, pomegranates, leeks, chard and dates. Each represents a blessing or wish for the new year. Some families also include the head of a fish or cow’s cheek meat (not in our house), which is a blessing for a year of good health and strength. Of course, there are apples and honey, symbols for a sweet new year.
The seder follows a set order of blessings over each simanim. It is similar to the Passover seder but shorter and more focused on the symbolic foods. It is often served before the main Rosh Hashanah meal, or as part of it, and can be enjoyed at home or in a community setting.
Fish are said to have a long association with mystical powers such as creation, fertility and prosperity. In Ashkenazic tradition, a fish course such as gefilte fish (poached mixture of whitefish or pike) is often served during the holiday. The fish head serves as a reminder to lead the way in the year ahead and not just follow along like a fish’s tail.
Carol and the Kitterman family wish you a Shana Tova or Happy New Year. May it be one of good health and prosperity. I am a lover of gazpacho. Below is a Sephardic version.
Spanish pomegranate gazpacho
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
- 2 medium English cucumbers
- A green pepper, cored and chunked
- A red onion, cut into wedges
- 2-3 cups pomegranate juice
- A large slice of day-old bread
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Teaspoon salt
- Juice of a lime
- Pomegranate seed and sliced scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Process chopped onion, pepper and cucumbers finely in a food processor. Add bread, and process.
- Add olive oil and pomegranate juice to the desired consistency, then add lime juice and process. Chill. Serve with pomegranate seeds, scallions and a drizzle of olive oil.
About
Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.
Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.