Many Jewish holidays and traditions center around the ritual of a shared meal. Nourishing ourselves in community, representing persistence in the face of persecution. This year, the High Holy Days\u2014the most sacred days of the Jewish calendar\u2014will be different. Most of us won\u2019t be passing plates of sliced apples and dishes of honey around dinner tables, indulging in the warmth of a loved one\u2019s home, or hosting others in our own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To me, there is power in honoring the rituals we do have access to, global pandemic or not. We can still take comfort in nourishing ourselves and anyone we\u2019re cohabitating with, taking cues from seasonal transition and deeply rooted tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, you don\u2019t need to be Jewish, or have historically engaged with Jewish traditions to enjoy an intentional meal this fall. Rosh Hashanah is the start of the Hebrew lunar calendar. It marks a new beginning, an opportunity for introspection and discovery. Depending on where you are in the world, temperatures may be cooling, days shortening, inviting you to turn inward and set intentions for the months ahead. Traditional Rosh Hashanah delicacies include the aforementioned apples dipped in honey, sweet stews, and golden round challahs to call in sweetness for the new year. Whether it\u2019s drizzling a nice fuji with your sweetener of choice, pulling a dessert recipe from your family\u2019s archive, or taking on a baking project you\u2019ve been eyeing on Instagram, I invite you to make a ritual of enjoying something sweet, whatever that means to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Might I suggest from CLC: <\/em>Vegan Challah,<\/a> Cinnamon Apple Spelt Cake<\/a>, Carrot Cake Banana Bread<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yom Kippur translates to \u2018day of atonement\u2019. We are asked to reflect on the past year and consider how we might be kinder to ourselves, each other, and the planet as we move into the next. Traditionally, Jewish people observe a 24 hour fast as a symbol of focus on the inner work at hand, and to re-experience the privilege of our daily norms once they resume. There are countless reasons why fasting might not be a healthy choice for you, so whether you fast or not, try taking a day to meditate gently on self-reflection. And after you do, make sure to enjoy a meal, a dish, a beverage, or a self-care ritual that feels celebratory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Might I suggest from CLC: <\/em>Vegan Apple Stuffing<\/a>, Red Lentil Soup with Parsnip and Sweet Potato<\/a>, Two-Tone Orange Gingerbread Muffins<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sukkot is my personal favorite of the Jewish holidays (or maybe it\u2019s Passover<\/a>\u2026). It\u2019s an eight-day harvest celebration, during which we are asked to eat our meals in temporary outdoor structures that we build and decorate with gourds and branches\u2014basically mandated backyard camping. One of the requirements of this structure, or sukkah<\/em>, is that when you look up you must be able to see the stars. Appreciation for Mother Earth and the intense transition she\u2019s experiencing this time of year is woven into every aspect of the holiday. If it\u2019s accessible to you, I highly recommend enjoying a cozy meal outdoors as late fall approaches, ideally with a view of the stars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Might I suggest from CLC: <\/em>Ginger Tahini Roasted Squash and Brocolli Bowl<\/a>, Roasted Persimmon and Butternut Squash Curried Soup<\/a>, Spiced Almond Butter Molasses Cookies<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This year, the High Holy Days\u2014the most sacred days of the Jewish calendar\u2014will be different. Most of us won\u2019t be passing plates of sliced apples and dishes of honey around dinner tables, indulging in the warmth of a loved one\u2019s home, or hosting others in our own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":34254,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","article_category":[564],"article_tag":[728,729,731,730,686],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/closedloopcooking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reads\/34249"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/closedloopcooking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reads"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/closedloopcooking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reads"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/closedloopcooking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/closedloopcooking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34249"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/closedloopcooking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/closedloopcooking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"article_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/closedloopcooking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_category?post=34249"},{"taxonomy":"article_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/closedloopcooking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_tag?post=34249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}