Shofar, So Good! Celebrate the Jewish New Year with Little Passports

For many of you, the New Year may be another few months away, but for millions of Jewish people across the world, it is happening this Sunday, Sept. 16.

Listen out for the echoes of the ram’s horns during the holiday. Sounding like a trumpet, they will usher in the start of the year of 5773. Observed for two days, Rosh Hashanah, like any other New Year, calls on the families to come together, reflect on the times past, and eat Mom’s hearty meals at the big table.

Shofar, so good? That’s how some Jews greet each other playing on the horn’s name shofar. To make a shofar with your children, follow the directions below.

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Shofar Craft

Ingredients

• Paper plate
• Brown construction paper
• Tape
• Glue
• Yarn

Instructions

1. Roll the plate into a large cone and secure with tape.
2. Glue the construction paper over the cone shape.
3. Piece through a loop of yarn so the horn can be easily carried around.

Notes

*The resulting sound from this craft will be a bit easier on the ears than the real horns!

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In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means the head of the year. Jews believe that on this day God starts weighing good and bad things that each person has done last year to determine what the next one will be for them.

On the occasion, people ask for each other’s forgiveness for whatever they have done wrong in the past. Ask your children to forgive you for hassling them the other day. And then have them think if they need to say what they are sorry for.

Time for dinner now! Classic Jewish comfort food, such as matzo ball soup, fish, freshly baked challah bread and apples with honey are served.

Each dish has a special meaning. Fish, for example, represents knowledge, because its eyes are always open. Pomegranate is wisdom. It has 613 seeds, which is the number of Jewish commandments in their holy scriptures.

Fresh apples with honey signify sweet life. If you decide to bake an apple pie, however, you won’t be steering too far away from the tradition. Many Jews believe that new recipes reflect on the rich Jewish culture around the world.

Every family has their signature recipe! Apples are in season right now. Bake a pie you love and post a photo of it on our Facebook page! What’s your secret ingredient to a sweet life?