Rosh Hashanah, literally “the head of the year”, is the Jewish New Year. It is a time of both solemn reflection and celebrations with family. There are many customs that are associated with the day, both spiritual and festive, and we thought we would take this opportunity to share some with you. At Peoples Flowers, we’d like to wish all of our Jewish friends and neighbors L’Shanah Tovah!
The Meaning of the Holiday: Rosh Hashanah is a time for repentant prayer and asking for forgiveness for the sins of the last 12 months. It also is a time for looking forward with hope to the New Year.
Religious Observances: The shofar is blown in the synagogue calling the faithful to repentance. The day is spent reciting prayers from the mahzor, a special prayer book for the High Holy Days. Some denominations celebrate for one day, some for two. This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on October 2.
The Meal: As is the case in many Jewish festivals, a traditional meal is an important part of the observance. The meals often contain foods that hold great significance, notably challah bread (the circle of life, and God’s provision), apples dipped in honey (sweet hope for the new year), and pomegranates (representing the law and the Torah).
Although there are no customary flowers or Rosh Hashanah, white blooms are meaningful as they signify purity, innocence, a clean slate and new beginnings- all fitting attributes for a new year. Blue flowers such as delphinium, orchids, iris, or hydrangea are often added as blue points to the divine. Some people celebrating also choose a more harvest theme for their centerpieces, with wheat stalks, berries, and fruit accents. These florals are complimentary to the fruit and bread in the meal.
The floral designers at Peoples Flowers look forward to helping you to decorate your holiday table for this very special festival. We are proud to serve the greater Albuquerque Metro and Rio Rancho area.