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Dear Friends,

Just a reminder that tonight, after our Erev Rosh Hashanah services at 6:30, we will have a festive and joyous Rosh Hashanah Seder at 7:30. Below is part of the original letter with advice for what foods to assemble and some background material.  Look forward to seeing you there!!

Check out this "teaser video" we made earlier in the week featuring yours truly and, I must say, a decent Tekia on the Shofar!

Here’s an excerpt from the original letter:

For our seder after services on the first night of Rosh Hashanah, feel free to assemble a variety of fruits and vegetables (list below) over which we will recite blessings for the New Year, each blessing playing off of the name or some quality of the food (hence a “sweet year” with apples and honey).  

I also hope you bring a food of your own over which you will invent your own pun and blessing to share with the group (e.g. may we have a “plum good year!” Or may this year bring a “raise-in” your good fortune! - I’m sure you’ll come up with much better ones!).

Here is a list of some traditional foods you may want to have handy, and they can be prepared in any style you wish (raw, cooked, pickled, sweetened, etc.):

Wine or grape juice for kiddush

A cup of water and bowl for netilat yadayim (ritual hand washing)

Challah (for motzi)

Pomegranate

Dates

String Beans

Head vegetable (lettuce, melon, etc.)

Pumpkin or squash

Leeks, chives or scallions

Carrots

Beets, spinach, or swiss chard

Fish, or something reminiscent of a fish (Swedish fish counts!)

And of course...apples and honey!

Our seder should last about 20 minutes or so,

I have included here some materials about the Rosh Hashana Seder for some background. I will be creating a text that fits our purposes for our community, and of course, if you would rather celebrate a Rosh Hashanah seder offline, please feel free to draw on these materials and use them as you would like.

Here is a beautiful and in-depth article on the Rosh Hashanah seder by Rachel Musleach, courtesy of My Jewish Learning.

For a text of the Rosh Hashanah Seder in Hebrew, English and Farsi, take a look at this document shared with me by our own Nili Simhai, which she uses in her own family - be sure to scroll down about a page once you click on the link.  

And here is a very full Rosh Hashana Seder prepared by the Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative Judaism.

Looking forward to celebrating and bringing in the blessings of the New Year with you!

Shanah Tovah,

Rabbi Justin David

Need a shareable and editable document…