For over 2,000 years Middle Eastern and North African Jews have ushered in the Jewish New Year by joyously blessing and eating symbolic foods, also known as simanim. Many Mizrahi and Sephardic families have incorporated a unique seder into their Rosh Hashana meal with some or all of the simanim below.
For those interested in incorporating a seder into your New Year’s meals, we highly recommend reading Rahel Musleah’s Apples and Pomegranates: A Family Seder for Rosh Hashanah. The prayers below are borrowed from the this wonderful book.
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ וֵאלֵֹהי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתְּחַדֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ שָׁנָה טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה כַּדְּבָשׁ
May it be Your will, Lord our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that You renew for us a year good and sweet like honey.
Sephardic Eggplant and Feta Galette
Adapted from Israeli chef, Shaily Lipa by Adeena Sussman for Los Angeles Times
Libyan Hraime (spicy fish in tomato sauce)
Adapted from Italian chef, Hamous Guetta by Joan Nathan for New York Times
Tunisian Couscous de Poisson – Couscous with fishballs
Adapted from Annie Berrebi by Joan Nathan for Tablet
Iraqi False Mahshi: Layered Swiss Chard, Beets, Rice and Beef
Adapted from Esperanza Basson by Joan Nathan for New York Times
Chorosht’e Be (Quince Stew)
Reyna Simnegar for Epicurious
Saffron Rice Tahdig
Anna Rahmanan for Tablet
Persian Upside-Down Cake with Dates and Cardamon
Tannaz Sassoni for The Nosher
Travados (Almond-filled, Honey drenched crescents)
Stella’s Cookbook
What are Sephardic Rosh Hashana customs?
Ty Alhadeff, Stroum Center for Jewish Studies
A Sephardic seder for Rosh Hashanah
Edmon J. Rodman, JTA