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Rosh Ha'shana Greetings tradition
Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, is this Sunday. When I come to think about it, Rosh Hashana with its deep religious roots wasn’t really celebrated by the kibbutz in the full sense of the word. Yom-Kippur the holiest day in the Jewish calendar was totally ignored. In contrast Sukkot, with its deep agricultural roots was a major holiday in the kibbutz. At the children house we made Happy New Year cards and never forgot to wish for peace among Israel and its neighboring Arab countries (even though deep inside we knew that they are the “bad guys” not to be trusted). The “Lu’akh Moda’ot” (bulletin board) at the community dining room, sported all the Happy New Year cards that had been sent from other Kibbutzs. These cards had photos of farmers at work or of kibbutzs and their surroundings.
My grandmother, who lived in the city and happened to be religious, was unaware of the undercurrent embedded in the New Year greeting cards. My mother always commented on her mother-in-law traditional “Happy New Year” cards (i.e. with religious elements that were all mystery to me) and banished them into a drawer. I rescued these otherworldly cards from oblivion and secretly collected them in my only personal drawer. Every now and then I would open my drawer and admire these beautifully naïve cards with golden sprinkles. Years later looking for the cards I couldn’t find them and my mother remembered nothing. These cards are still deep in my heart to this day. Here is a sampler. 
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Honey Cake for Rosh Hashana
Dry ingredients:
3 cup of flower
1 cup brown sugar
1 ts baking soda
1 ts cinnamon
1 ts ground ginger
pinch of ground (about ¼ ts):
black pepper
cardamom,
allspice,
cloves,
nutmeg
Liquids:
¾ cup strong black coffee (or water)
¾ cup oil
1 cup honey
2 eggs
optional:
1 cup walnuts
½ cup dates (if you chose to add the dates put only ½ cup brown sugar)
Preparation:
Mix well all dry ingredients.
Add liquids and mix together.
Add walnuts and dates.
Put in 2-3 aluminum loaf pans.
Put in a preheat oven (350OF ) for 40 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Enjoy.
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My grandmother’s Haroset (Makes about 6 cups)
1 pound raisins
1 pound pitted dates
2 cups water, about
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Sweet red wine
2 cup fine chopped walnuts
Instructions:
- Combine raisins and dates in bowl.
- Add 2 cups water (or enough to cover).
- Let stand overnight.
- Place mixture in food processor or blender.
- Add sugar and process until mixture is well chopped.
- Transfer to a heavy saucepan add the red wine and simmer 30 min or until fruits are cooked and water is absorbed (careful – stir constantly or you’ll get a volcano in your kitchen).
- Add walnuts.
- Optional: Add 1 ts. cardamom, 0.5 ts. cinnamon and pinch of cloves.
- Makes about 6 cups.
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Coconut jam
1 pound flaked unsweetened coconut
2 tablespoons rosewater (go to the Indian stores)
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cup unsalted pistachios
2 cup chopped almonds,
1. Sprinkle coconut with rosewater and about 2-3 cups water, fluffing as you do so.
2. Cover and leave overnight.
3. In saucepan combine sugar, lemon juice and ½ - 1 cup water.
4. Simmer, stirring constantly, to thicken.
5. Add soaked coconut and slowly bring to a boil again, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat as soon as it boils or it will harden and yellow.
Let cool. Mix in nuts and pour into glass bowl.
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