Hosting a more meaningful Rosh Hashanah dinner is possible - and easy! Here's our top 5 tips to make it happen, even if you only have 10 minutes.  1. Each Passover we ask, "why is this night different from all other nights?" Your Rosh Hashanah dinner is another oppprtunity to get clear on your purpose and intention. What's special about tonight? You might be embracing the opportunity to be in community, marking this sacred moment in the Jewish calendar, or eating...

Happy New Year! Traditionally, the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is a time of introspection and reflection. We examine what we appreciate from the year that has passed and what we hope to change in the year to come.  If you've hosted any kind of dinner gathering, you can host a Rosh Hashanah seder. This gathering can be as simple or as complex as your time allows. This booklet is here to help you make it easy and meaningful. 

No matter who you're celebrating with, use this blessing to send a message of love and peace to those you care about. May you feel love and security wherever you go. May you radiate with light and gratitude throughout your days. May a spirit of amazement reside within you always, and may you find peace. 

Sure, food may be the first thing on everyone's mind at a Yom Kippur Break Fast. And, we can still make this night feel special and bigger than just the bagels.  Once your guests have had a chance to eat, invite everyone to join in these activities designed to help us cross the threshold from this holiest of holy days into the rest of the year.  Table Topics: The prayers at the end of Yom Kippur focus on gates that are...

Though it isn't traditional to end our Yom Kippur Break Fast meal by reciting a shehechiyanu blessing, it may feel appropriate upon reaching this moment of joy and celebration after coming through a difficult time. It's a way of saying, "we made it!" as we cross the threshold into the new year.  בָּרוּך אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וקְִיְמָּנוּ והְִגִיּעָנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶה Barukh ata adonai elohenu melekh ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu, v’higiyanu la’z’man ha’zeh Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler...

It's said that Yom Kippur brings affliction to the comfortable and comfort to the afflicted. After a long night and day of fasting, we finally have arrived at the magic moment of breaking bread to end the fast and start the feast. Before all that, take a brief moment for gratitude for the meal we are about to consume.  בָּרוּךְ‭ ‬אַתָּה‭ ‬יְיָ‭ ‬אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ‭ ‬מֶֽלֶךְ‭ ‬הָעוֹלָם ‬הַמּֽוֹצִיא‭ ‬לֶֽחֶם‭ ‬מִן‭ ‬הָאָֽרֶץ Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam, hamotzi lekhem min ha-aretz. Blessed are...

Yom Kippur traditionally ends with one long, loud blast of the shofar, a ram's horn with a primal sound.  If you have a shofar, blow it now!  If not, make some noise some other way to mark the end of this holy day. Belt out a song together or try a primal scream. Do what you need to do to feel a sense of release and readiness to embark on the journey of a new year.

We close our Shabbat Shuvah meal with an opportunity to share. Each person around the table is invited to answer one or more of these questions as they reflect on this new year that's just begun. Notice: What do you want to notice, to occupy your attention during the next year?  Nearness: What do you want to bring nearer to you in the year ahead?  Nurture: What values and intentions do you want to nurture?   

On Rosh Hashanah and throughout the High Holiday season, we eat challah in the shape of a circle, to symbolize the circle of time, and the fullness of the year that is coming. Many people add even more sweetness to their first challah of the new year by adding apples and raisins or by drizzling honey or jam on top.   As you take a bite, share with others around the table how you hope to bring sweetness into the world in...

The first Shabbat of the year is often called Shabbat Shuvah, a Sabbath of Return. A sort of spiritual time machine where we can reflect on the past year, look at where we missed the mark and repair our relationships. It's also our first opportunity in the new year to celebrate Shabbat. Consider this your invitation to take a breath and savor the moment.   Want more Shabbat Shuvah inspiration? Check out our booklet of rituals and reflections perfect for this moment: ...

Handwashing is an ancient Jewish practice used to make us pure for a holy moment. As we prepare to eat our first Shabbat meal of the New Year, take a moment to feel the water as it flows over your hands. Dry your hands as you say this blessing:    בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִם Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al n’tilat yadayim. Blessed are You, Adonai our God,...

It's the first Shabbat of the New Year!  Transform your space by lighting Shabbat candles and taking a moment to look into the flames. Think about something you're looking forward to in this year that has just begun.  Then, circle the flames with your hands three times and cover your eyes as you recite the blessing. Shabbat Shalom!    בָּרוּך אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם אַשֶׁר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶל שַבָּת Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav...

Lilya's Summer Beet Borscht  Liz Alpern, Co-Founder of the Gefilteria introduces this recipe: One summer day, Jeffrey and I headed to Little Odessa in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. We were visiting our business partner Jackie’s ninety-two-year-old Russian-born great-aunt, Lilya. She had immigrated to Brighton Beach from the Soviet Union in 1989. Lilya was known for her borscht, and she’d invited us to spend time with her while she salted and seasoned three varieties of the soup.  SERVES 6 TO 8 Ingredients  2...