Why Do Jewish People Eat Apples and Honey on Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)?

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. It falls once a year during the month of Tishrei and occurs ten days before Yom Kippur. Together, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as the Yamim Nora’im, which means the Days of Awe in Hebrew. In English they are often referred to as the High Holy Days.

In 2014 Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 24th and ends at sundown on September 26th. It is year 5775 on the Jewish calendar. 

Though apple and honey can be eaten throughout the holidays, they are almost always eaten together on the first night of Rosh Hashanah. Jews dip apple slices into honey and say a prayer asking God for a sweet New Year. There are three steps to this ritual:

• Say the first part of the prayer, which is a blessing thanking God for the apples
• Take a bite of the apple slices dipped in honey
• Now say the second part of the prayer, which asks God to renew us during the New Year

Eating apple slices dipped in honey is one of the most recognizable Rosh Hashanah food customs but have you ever wondered why we do it? The combination embodies our hopes for a sweet New Year but beyond this, did you know that apples represent mystical Jewish beliefs in the Shekhina (the feminine aspect of God) and the ancient perception that apples have special healing powers? During Rosh Hashanah some Jews believe the Shekhinah is watching us and evaluating our behavior during the past year. Eating honey with apples represents our hope that the Shekhinah will judge us kindly and look down on us with sweetness.

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