Rosh Hashanah Celebrations

As the end of the summer season approaches, that means it’s time to wish your friends and family ‘Shanah Tovah!’ That’s right; it is finally time to start celebrating Rosh Hashanah with the people you love. Rosh Hashanah marks the first days of the Jewish new year. This year Rosh Hashanah comes to us quite early starting on September 6, 2021 (Labor Day!) and continues until September 8, 2021. That said, we at More Than Paper have devised a list of tips that will make your Rosh Hashanah holiday the sweetest one yet!

1.     Give thanks, reflect, and change:

Just like with the secular New Year, Rosh Hashanah is a time to reflect upon our past, be grateful for it, and plan to improve for the future. With that being said, here are some tips we have to help you make sure you follow through on these resolutions. The first suggestion we have is to take time to really reflect on the past year. Take the time to recall any instances in which you feel gratitude or that you see a need for improvement. Next, we advise that you write down your goals or resolutions so that you can refer back to them throughout the year ahead. Another tip that we have is to find someone you trust to help you keep yourself accountable as the year continues. Finally, our last tip is to make sure to give yourself some grace if you fall short of your goals. We realize it can be incredibly challenging to achieve your resolutions, so give yourself a break if you mess up. We’re all human; what matters is that you are trying!

 

2.     Listen to the Shofar for good measure:

The second tip we have to make this Rosh Hashanah one for the books is to listen to the shofar. The Shofar is a ram’s horn that is ceremonially blown during the Rosh Hashanah festivities. Listening to the Shofar is one of the many ways we are reminded to look deeper into ourselves and reflect on the past year. With many of us missing the opportunity to hear the shofar in person last year, we are guessing that finally hearing the shofar again in person will be a more emotional experience than usual. One thing the past year has taught us is to not take things for granted. Be present and soak it all in.

 

3.     Don’t be afraid to indulge in some tasty traditional foods:

One of our favorite Rosh Hashanah customs is indulging in its tasty traditional dishes! When preparing for the Rosh Hashanah holiday, make sure you don’t forget the apples and honey to ensure you and your family have the sweetest new year! Other traditional foods to consider including in your Rosh Hashanah celebrations are yummy pomegranates (did you know that there are 613 seeds in a pomegranate – the same number of commandments in the Torah – hence why it has become a traditional food) or delicious round challah (not just any challah – but a round challah to represent the idea that the year is round – or a continuous cycle). Not a traditional Jewish New Year food, but a tradition in our family, is to make and serve gefilte fish for the holiday. You can check out our posted gefilte fish recipe here.

 

4.     Make sure to wish your friends and family a “Sweet New Year”:

One way to celebrate the Rosh Hashanah holiday is to wish your friends and family ‘Shanah Tovah!’ or “Happy New Year!” Not only is this a common courtesy in the Jewish community, but it has also now become a tradition-whether that be said in person or via snail mail with a Jewish New Year greeting card. With that being said, make sure to let your friends and family know you hope they have the sweetest new year! 

 

5.     Show off your new threads:

We’re not sure if this is really a true tradition but it is always a fun unofficial part of the holiday – wearing new clothes to the synagogue for the High Holy Days and being able to check out the latest fashion trends! This year, however, many of us are just happy to be getting back to the synagogue in person – so don’t worry so much about the fashion trends this year. Just be grateful to be able to show up and be with others!

After sharing with you our tips and tricks to making your Rosh Hashanah the sweetest one yet, here is one of our most popular Jewish New Cards this year.

Send your friends and family sweet new year tidings with this “Seasons of Life” Jewish New Year card by Michele Pulver. Each set of cards is environmentally conscientious, being made with carbon-neutral cardstock. Accompanying these beautiful cards are matching self-sealing white envelopes with free printed return address that will make sending these cards to your family and friends even easier! Please visit the More Than Paper website for more information on these Seasons of Life Jewish New Year Cards or more Rosh Hashanah greeting cards.

Family Meal Traditions

It's a wonderful thing to have traditions that get passed on from generation to generation, especially food ones.  Learning how to make a dish from your grandmother, for example, will always be treasured in your heart.  Long after she has gone, you can honor her memory and relive time spent together just by making a dish. 

In many families, gefilte fish gets made and served on Passover, but we know of at least one family who has been serving it for Rosh Hashanah for generations.  Whether it is your tradition or you are looking to start a new one this holiday, check out this recipe we adapted from Food.com. 



















Photo credit: Lisa Larvey via Chow

Ingredients:

6 lbs white fish (weight of the whole fish) 

6 lbs yellow pike (weight of the whole fish)

3.5 lbs carp (weight of the whole fish) 

2 large Spanish onions, peeled and sliced in wedges

1/4 cup salt (separated) 

1 cup of sugar (separated)

1 tablespoons matzo meal 

4 eggs, lightly beaten 

fresh ground white pepper or black pepper 

Directions:

1.  Ask your local fish store to remove all the skin and to fillet the fish, reserving the bones and heads for you. Also ask for an extra head (it will improve the broth). 

2.  Put the fish heads and bones into a large wide pot along with 1/8 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, and one onion (cut into wedges).  Cover with plenty of water and bring to a boil.  

3.  Meanwhile, finely grind the fish with one of the onions in a grinder (you can use the grinder attachment of a mix-master).

4.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the remaining salt, sugar, matzo meal, eggs and pepper.  Mix well and let sit. 

5.  Prepare the fish balls.  Keeping your hands moist with cold water (we like to keep a bowl of water close by to dip the palms of your hands before getting the batter each time), form oval spheres to the size of very large eggs (they will expand slightly when cooked) and drop them carefully, one by one, into the pot with the fish bones.  The water should be kept at a slow simmer as you continue to add the fish balls. 



6.  After all the balls have been added, simmer for 1 hour and 45 minutes partially covered (we use tin foil to cover half of the pot).  Add additional water as necessary so that there is enough liquid to keep the balls afloat. 



7.  The key to good gefilte fish is to taste the broth at various intervals.  We recommend tasting at 45 minutes and then again 45 minutes later.  The broth should be tasty, not too salty and should be sweet.  Add salt and sugar as needed to the broth.  Keep adding and tasting until the broth tastes just right.

8.  Remove from heat and let the fish balls cool slightly in their liquid. 

9.  With a slotted spoon, remove the fish balls to a serving platter. 

10.  Strain the cooking liquid. Pour it over the fish and refrigerate until cold (overnight if possible - we prefer at least two nights prior to eating).  The liquid should gel a bit.

11.  Serve the fish cold with beet horseradish.  We love this recipe here.

Make the tradition even more personal with this personalized platter by Boatman Geller available at our store, More Than Paper. Find other things you'd like to have for entertaining this holiday season at More Than Paper including great hostess gifts, items for entertaining, and cards for the Jewish New Year (on sale now!) 






What are your family traditions?  We'd love to hear about them in our comments.  And don't forget to share this recipe on Facebook or Pinterest with your friends! 

5 things to do with Apples & Honey

In getting ready for the Jewish New Year coming up on September 4^th, More Than Paper has collected 5 things to do with apples and honey so you’ll be sure to have a sweet new year.    Here are some ideas to do with your kids or on your own to honor traditions and make this year special!     

#1:  Make apple stamped artwork!  Slice an apple in half and let the natural inner pattern guide your kids in a painting experience.  Dip the apple in fall colors of deep red, orange, and yellow.  Stamp in patterns to make beautiful artwork.   When the artwork is dry, you can frame it, wrap it up and add an apple stamped tag like this one we found here.   Bring it over to dinner and give the artwork as a present to grandparents – a keepsake they’ll likely treasure no matter how it turns out!

Photo via Baby Center, image by Nicole Gerulat of A Little Sussy

#2:   Make your own Challah!  Have you ever tried making your own Challah?  We found a great apple Challah recipe with step by step directions (and photos!) from KingArthur Flour Blog.   Don’t forget your round pan here!  

Image via King Arthur Flour Blog 

#3: While you are in a baking mode, try this honey tea cake.  You'll find the recipe and gorgeous food photography here on Tartine and Apron Strings blog (foodies: take note!) It makes a delicious dessert on Rosh Hashanah. 

Image via Tartine and Apron Strings blog

#4:   Can and label your own honey!   These make great decorations on the table or small hostess gifts.  Purchase honey in bulk at your local grocer and mason jars at Michael's or your local craft store.  Pour in honey and then add your own labels or sentiments using your personalized stamp.  Checkout these Rosh Hashanah printables that we found online, too that would be great on these honey jars. 

Image via Pinmarket

#5: Make crafty pom-pom apples as decorations!    You’ll need a red pom-pom, green felt cut into oval shapes for the leaves, and brown pipe cleaners.  Super glue or hot glue together in the shape of an apple and voila!  You have an adorable craft to do with older kids in the spirit of the New Year.  (These also make a cute gift for a teacher when going back to school!) 

Image via Pinmarket

While you are in the spirit, don't forget about sending cards for the holiday!  Our Jewish New Year cards are up to 20% off retail and many designers are offering free return address or address labels for additional savings! We have thousands of card design, including ones with apples and honey.  Shop all of them here! 

Have a sweet new year!