Family traditions make the holiday special

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, which begins Monday night, is a time for reflection and resolutions. It is also a time for celebration. At sunset, Jewish families will gather together for the traditional meal, marking the beginning of the High Holy Days.

Sweet foods, symbolizing blessings, abundance, and the hope for a good year ahead, are on most tables. Many families begin the meal, which is often built around the traditional simmered brisket of beef or a plump roast chicken, by dipping apples in honey. Tzimmes, a vegetable or meat dish that contains carrots and sometimes sweet potatoes, can be seasoned with sugar or honey and other spices. This is a popular accompaniment, as are noodle puddings. For most menus, honey cake ends the meals.

What makes the celebrations special are individual traditions: the inevitable debate over which bakery makes the best challah, a special dish, a moment to remember someone who isn't at the table. Families look forward to the celebration all year, and some dishes are made only at this time. As smells of cinnamon and meat fill the kitchen, traditions bring families back to the table year after year, generation after generation.

ANDREA PYENSON