Growing up in an American Jewish family, I’ve always celebrated two distinct new years. There is the one we all share, from January to December, winter to winter, toasted with champagne, heels, and sparkles of gold. And then, there is the one I share only with some, marking the beginning of autumn and a fresh start, rang in with my community in synagogue, all the members of my family, and the sweetness of apples and honey.
As a culture, we have a running joke that every celebration encourages one of two behaviors: feast or fast. Rosh Hashanah is a time for feasting [the fasting comes next week]. So, currently, we are in the preparation phase for day one of the holiday, beginning tomorrow.
As I’ve grown older and developed a bit more than basic culinary skills, I’ve come to delight in the mother-daughter holiday-prep time in the kitchen. I come from a family where everything is made from scratch, so the kitchen hours for familial gatherings easily turn into kitchen days. For the new year, apples need to be cored, pies baked, potatoes scrubbed and boiled. The list looms long ahead of us.
The holidays also tend to remind me that baking is a skill I’ll eventually need to pick up: our traditional recipes have been passed through four generations, from tiny Eastern European towns, to a crowded house in the Bronx, and out to suburban Connecticut. As I received the “joy of cooking” gene, it seems that it will be my responsibility to carry our family recipes into Manhattan. I’ll never attempt to “healthify” those traditions – though I might covertly trade in the refined white sugar for some whole turbinado.
For now, I remain sous chef to my mom’s expertise. The art of presentation is left to me these days, as I wrap napkins, arrange the china and silver, and listen intently to my mother’s stories of the relatives connected to our serving pieces. Of course, it’s not all work and no play:
We still get to lick the spoons – especially when they’re coated in sweet potatoes.
What are your holiday traditions?
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Wishing you a happy New Year!!
My holiday traditions = gathering together with my entire family. Love it and them.
What a beautiful post :)
My family celebrates the New Year like Americans celebrate Christmas in December. Our table is full of food and we start eating at 10 p.m. and stay up until 4 a.m., as a family.
We also get gifts under the “New Year’s” tree. People are always confused when I tell them I’m spending New Year’s with my family, since everyone goes out, but that’s the tradition in my culture. I can’t wait!
Shana Tova to you and your family :)
We celebrated everything when I was going up because my dad wasn’t Jewish. Christmas was our most ‘tradition-filled’ one, starting the evening before driving around the city looking at the lights, to waking up to homemade pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream… :)
Somehow you always see the beauty in everything and that inspires me :)
I don’t do holidays but we have a family dinner night tradition when we all get together every November at my Grandma’s house and cook a huge meal. She always bakes a gingerbread loaf for me every year. I guess I use to eat all her ginger snaps out of the cookie jar when I was little and she makes sure to remind me every year with a loaf. I always eat a slice there and take the rest home for breakfast.Its our little secret story and its the most dearest thing to my heart.
Have a good time with your family, they seem lovely..traditions make us who we are!
Thanks for reminding me of that memory too…probably just made my week :)
Maggie
Happy new year to you and your family! Enjoy it! :)
Yay!! My Dad (and his whole side) are Jewish. My maiden name is Goldberg- can’t get muchmore jewish than that! I love getting together with that part of the family for Jewish holdays. It’s always the BEST! My aunt got a dog on rosh hashanah a few years ago. They named her “Shanah.” Isn’t that cute?!? Anyway, we don’t really have specific rosh hashanah traditions. I really only celebrate when I’m in NY visiting them- but I love it when I’m there! :D
-A
I’m from an American Jewish family, too. I love the chance to coat things in honey. my favorite holday traditions revolve around thanksgiving–I love how it’s non denominational and everyone can celebrate
Have a fabulous Rosh Hashana! Love this post!
Leslie, your words made me feel as if I were right at your kitchen observing you and your mom!:D My family prepare a big meal eaten at midnight of Christmas eve. We open gifts, talk, then have coffee. Leftovers are enjoyed throughout Christmas day.
Happy New Year!
I’m Asian, so we have our own New Year’s. I love that because I get money! lol! Unfortunately, because I am from a missionary’s family, we don’t live close enough with our relatives to celebrate any occasions together…:-(
what wonderful photographs! i hope you are enjoying the holiday at home with your family! :)
i love family’s quirky passover seder — we read from a feminist haggadah (taking turns as to who narrates, of course), drink kosher for passover wine, and delicious foods (matzoh brei, anyone?). so much fun!
[...] is the product of a traditional family recipe for cheese blintzes, another one of those that were carried through the generations. I’d be happy to share the recipe if there’s interest – note that the process [...]