We have almost until the end of September to prepare for Rosh Hashanah this year, although as Rabbi Taff always says, the holidays aren’t late—they are always on time! For this year’s celebratory meals I am sharing two dishes to serve before it’s time for dessert (both red, coincidentally) and a new twist on honeycake.
Beets are served around the world for the holiday because they are naturally sweet. In addition, the Hebrew word for beet, “silka” sounds like “siluk”, the word for “removal”—expressing hope that our adversaries will disappear in the year ahead. There’s no question about why honey is a favored ingredient for High Holiday meals and for dipping apples and yom tov challah.
This year Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the beginning of Sukkot all fall within the month of September. As usual both Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions provide delicious dishes to help us celebrate and highlight the reasons for doing so. Here’s wishing everyone a sweet and happy New Year filled with many reasons to celebrate!
Tradition is always a major factor in the celebration of holidays, with the food we prepare being no different from any other holiday elements. This month I am sharing two recipes that have gotten a lot of use among members of our family.
Brisket is a favorite for the High Holidays as well as for Pesach and Hanukkah. Being able to prepare it ahead is a boon for Jewish hosts and hostesses who want to serve a delicious special meal and still enjoy time with guests.
During the summer I discovered that the pear cake, a wonderful finale for a meat meal, was the perfect dessert for a young cousin who has severe allergies to dairy products. After having seconds when I served it for dinner, he asked for more at breakfast the next morning! It’s really a great year-round treat since pears are always available. This treat, too can be made well ahead of the time it is served.
This year September encompasses all the major fall Jewish holidays and my recipe for this month would be a good choice for any of them—except Yom Kippur, of course! Serve this unique honey cake for Rosh Hashanah or to break the fast. It’s a great choice for Sukkot, as it also celebrates the fall apple harvest and will keep well for meals over several days of the holiday. In fact, you really don’t need a holiday to justify making this dessert; it’s fun to prepare and would turn any Jewish meal or snack into a celebration! I think that the cake could be made ahead and frozen, but my Scroll deadline did not allow time for me to verify this.
In Search of the Perfect Recipe For…Honey, Sweets, and Holiday Treats with Evie Lieb
Wednesday, August 21, 7: 00 pm
Join expert baker, cook, and teacher Evie Lieb to learn about savory and sweet holiday recipes, holiday challah braiding, holiday traditions and customs from around the world. Ishai Zeldner will discuss how honey is made by bees. Enjoy honey samples and take home a wide range of tasty holiday recipes. Honey will be available to purchase for your family's holiday needs from Z Specialty Food, a family owned gourmet foods business. Bring your holiday stories and personal family traditions to share. Don’t miss this exciting program! Contact Mehrnaz Halimi at
By Cynthia and Sara Brideson
The KOH Library and Cultural Center is honored to showcase the eye catching and distinctive artwork of painter Michael Mulcahy. Michael grew up in southern California and the Midwest. After receiving a literature degree at Occidental College, he lived in Ireland and the San Francisco Bay Area. His work is held in several private collections nationwide.
SPECIAL EVENT - RSVP REQUIRED. LOCATION GIVEN UPON RSVP
Congressman Bera is traveling to Israel this summer with AIPAC's sister organization, the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF). He has made a special effort to meet with our community and we hope you will be able to join us as he shares his experiences in Israel and discusses the important issues affecting the US-Israel relationship.
RSVP required: AIPAC Deputy Political Director Tye Gregory at
Co-sponsored by: AIPAC
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