When you’re looking for gifts for your Jewish friends on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah, you’ll pay special attention to their customs and traditions. Food is always a welcome gift and typical Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah gifts center around apples and honey.
Ancient Jews believed that apples have curative properties, while honey signifies sweetness and hope for the new year. Eating apple slices dipped in honey has special significance. When your friends open their mouths to consume the apple, they’re offering prayers to Hashem for mercy.
Several Other Foods Have Symbolic Meaning
Foods that have symbolic meaning for the Jewish New Year are called Simanim, and it is customary for people to present a Rosh Hashanah gift basket to their friends. Getting a kosher basket ensures that your gift has been prepared carefully following Jewish dietary rules, and the recipients can safely eat the items.
Aside from apples and honey, several other foods have special meaning for the new year. Your hamper can include fresh produce like carrots and pomegranates along with a Pri Chadash or a New Fruit that the family has not eaten in a long time. These unfamiliar fruits can include lychees and dragonfruits, which are eaten with a Shehecheyanu prayer. The family shows their appreciation to God for blessing and sustaining them and providing a new experience.
Baked Goods in the Rosh Hashanah Basket
Bread always has special meaning in the Jewish household, which is why your hamper should have baked items. Traditionally, Jews eat round challah, which signifies continuation and the eternal cycle of life and creation that has no beginning or end. Challah for Rosh Hashanah is also made with fillings of honey and raisins for added sweetness. Many families will smear each slice of the bread with a little extra honey before serving. So, make sure to include a jar of pure organic honey in the hamper.
Beverages Served at Rosh Hashanah
Your gift hamper would not be complete without beverages. If you’re wondering what to order, think options like Bourbon apple cider, Bourbon honey cocktail, Caramel apple sangria, and Red apple cider sangria. Bottles of Sparkling Fig Honey Cocktail, Lavender Honey, and Smoky Harvest Apple Cider Margarita would also be welcomed happily by your friends. As you’ve probably noted, each beverage features apples and honey.
Other Additions to the Hamper
You can also add other items that have special significance for Rosh Hashanah. For instance, a small ornamental Shofar or a hollow ram’s horn, which is blown to bring in the New Year and pay homage to the Creator of the Universe and its inhabitants. The Jewish dining table also has a fish head to remind the family that their decisions during the new year’s celebrations will impact their lives all through the year. Instead of a raw fish head, you could add a dish made with this key ingredient.
This Rosh Hashanah, present your Jewish friends with a lovely hamper containing all the items that have special meaning for them. They are sure to be delighted by the thoughtful gesture.