By Laura Weisskopf Bleill
For my money (and boy are they pricey – but worth it) there is no better apple around than the Honeycrisp. I am so, so very grateful to whomever developed this newish type of apple, and the fact that they just happen to be in season right now.
This is the time of year when my people eat a lot of apples. Dipping apples in honey is a Rosh Hashanah tradition — symbolic of our hope for a sweet New Year, one that is “pure, happy, and free from past transgressions, ” according to myjewishlearning.com. More than a tradition, however, it is considered a mitzvah, or a good deed.
Apples haven’t always been one of my favorite fruits. In fact, there was a time when I didn’t even like apples dipped in honey. That all changed with the advent of the honeycrisp. Sometimes, I eat apples and honey when it’s not even Rosh Hashanah (yes, I’m a rebel).
Taste some apples and honey and learn about Rosh Hashanah at a free community event on Sunday, Sept. 5 at Curtis Orchard. (Photo by Public Domain Photos on flickr)
Thinking about apples, of course, is just a ruse. Rosh Hashanah is a time to think about something a little deeper than fruit. It is a time when we devote ourselves to repentance, prayer, and charity; when we re-evaluate our relationships with one another, and with G-d. But more on that next week.
Rosh Hashanah starts Wednesday, Sept. 7, at sunset. So I’ll be spending the time in between seeking out the perfect honeycrisp apple to go with a honey dip.
If you and your family would like to learn more about Rosh Hashanah and share this joyous festival with the broader community, the Sinai Temple Religious School is sponsoring a free educational program on Sunday, Sept. 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The public is welcome to “A Taste of Honey,” a day of apple and honey tasting and other educational activities at Curtis Orchard (where they grow some darn good honeycrisps). Learn about the symbolism of apples and honey and other holiday traditions in a fun environment — eat and make a craft to take home.
Hope to see you there!
Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, will work for honeycrisps and likes honey too — even if she’s allergic to bees. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.
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