This Sunday, as the day came to a close, the Jewish community rang in year 5773 as part of their celebration of Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year. The festivities will continue until nightfall on Tuesday, Sept. 18.
While Belmont and San Carlos don't have synagogues of their own, a number of nearby synagogues are offering Rosh Hashanah services. Here's a quick look at a few local temples:
- Congregation Beth Jacob (1550 Alameda de las Pulgas) will hold separate early and family services at 6 p.m. followed by a 7:30 p.m. sanctuary service. For more information email cbj@bethjacobrwc.org or call 650-366-8481.
- Chabad of Mid-Peninsula is holding high holiday services at the Community Activity Building (Roosevelt 1400 Avenue) on Monday at 10:00 a.m. For more information email info@jewishredwoodcity.com or call 650-232-0995.
- Peninsula Temple Beth El 1700 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo, 650-341-7701. For more information, go to www.ptbe.org/.
- Peninsula Sinai Congregation 499 Boothbay, Foster City, 650-349-2816 www.peninsulasinai.org/
- Peninsula Temple Sholom 1655 Sebastian Dr. Burlingame, 650-697-6707 www.sholom.org
Rosh Hashanah, which literally means “head of the year,” signals the beginning of the High Holy Days. Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, marks the end, and together they are two of the holiest days for Jews.
Like most New Year celebrations, Rosh Hashanah is a time of introspection and a time to bring about changes in the coming year. The traditional blowing of the shofar, or ram’s horn, during services on Rosh Hashanah marks a time to contemplate past mistakes and find ways to make things right.
On this day, as on Sabbath, Jews avoid work and spend the day with family. And where there’s a family gathering, can food be far behind? It’s no surprise that after services Jewish families tuck into an elaborate spread of traditional dishes.
The day begins with eating apples dipped in honey, in hopes that the new year will also be sweet. Another tradition is to bake challah, a round-shaped bread that is a symbol of the circle of life.
So, it's time to get into that festive mood! Patch has come up with some great recipes that will make your Rosh Hoshanah meal extra special this year.
Patch contributor Wendy Schapiro shared her family recipe for a mouth-watering, traditional meal complete with a side dish and dessert, route: {:controller=>"articles", :action=>"show", :id=>"rosh-hashanah-recipes-noodle-kugel-and-apple-crumble"} -->, and
