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.
You can learn more about the seder by clicking here and here.
Apples for Sweetness
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.
Dates for Peace
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ
Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.
After eating the date, take another one and say:
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ וֵאלֵֹהי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁיִּתַּמּוּ אוֹיְבֵינוּ וְשׂוֹנְאֵינוּ וְכָל מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתֵנוּ
May it be Your will, Lord our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that there come an end to our enemies, haters and those who wish evil upon us.
Green Beans for Prosperity
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה
Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ וֵאלֵֹהי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁיִּרְבּוּ זָכִיּוֹתֵינוּ וּתְלַבְּבֵנוּ
May it be Your will, Lord our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that our merits shall increase and that You hearten us.
Pomegranate for Miztvot
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ וֵאלֵֹהי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁנִּהְיֶה מְלֵאִים מִצְוֹת כָּרִמּוֹן
May it be Your will, Lord our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that we be filled with mitzvot like a pomegranate [is filled with seeds].
Pumpkin for Happiness
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ וֵאלֵֹהי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתִּקְרַע רוֹעַ גְּזַר דִּינֵנוּ, וְיִקָּרְאוּ לְפָנֶיךָ זָכִיּוֹתֵינוּ
May it be Your will, Lord our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that the evil of our verdicts be ripped, and that our merits be announced before you.
Beetroot Leaves for Freedom
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ וֵאלֵֹהי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁיִּסְתַּלְּקוּ אוֹיְבֵינוּ וְשׂוֹנְאֵינוּ וְכָל מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתֵנוּ
May it be Your will, Lord our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that our enemies, haters and those who wish evil upon us shall depart.
Leeks for Friendship
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ וֵאלֵֹהי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ אוֹיְבֵינוּ וְשׂוֹנְאֵינוּ וְכָל מְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתֵנוּ
May it be Your will, Lord our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that our enemies, haters, and those who wish evil upon us shall be cut down.
Head of Lettuce for Leadership
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה’ אֱלֹהינוּ וֵאלֵֹהי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁנִּהְיֶה לְרֹאשׁ וְלֹא לְזָנָב
May it be Your will, Lord our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that we be a head and not a tail.
Starters
Yemenite Soup (Beef and White Bean Stew)
Einat Admony for Jewish Food Society
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
Moroccan Fish and Crispy Rice Cake with Saffron Crust
Kim Kushner My Jewish Learning
Zucca Sfranta in Forno (Baked Mashed Squash)
Adapted from Italian Jewish chef, Edda Servi Machlin by Jayne Cohen for Centropa
Moroccan Butternut Squash Chickpea Soup
Levana Cooks
Pumpkin Borekas
The Boreka Diary
Pastelicos With Meat and Rice Filling
The Boreka Diary
Black Eye Pea Stew 
Adapted from Gilda Angel by Katherine Romanow for Jewish Women’s Archive
Keftes De Prasa and Keftes de Espinaca, Turkish Leek and Spinach Croquettes
Gilda Angel for The Forward
Main Course
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
Moroccan-style lamb shanks
Danino family recipe adapted for Chicago Tribune
Roast Chicken with Saffron, Hazelnuts, and Honey
Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi for Epicurious
Khoresht Fesenjan (Persian Pomegranate Walnut Stew)
My Jerusalem Kitchen
Dried Fruit Couscous. Meat and Poultry Variations
Levana Cooks
Braised Short Rib Mujadara
Alon Shaya for Tasting Table
Mum’s Beef Kofta Curry
Max Nye for Jewish Food Society
Sides
Chorosht’e Be (Quince Stew)
Reyna Simnegar for Epicurious
Saffron Rice Tahdig
Anna Rahmanan for Tablet
Sephardic Jeweled Rosh Hoshanah Rice
May I Have That Recipe?
Prassa Quajado, Leek and Potato Bake
The Boreka Diary
Honeyed Carrots and Roasted Chickpeas with Tahini
Tami Ganeles-Weiser for My Jewish Learning
Dessert
Persian Upside-Down Cake with Dates and Cardamon
Tannaz Sassoni for The Nosher
Travados (Almond-filled, Honey drenched crescents)
Stella’s Cookbook
Apple Tarts with Goat Cheese and Honey
My Jerusalem Kitchen
Persian Saffron Pudding
Tori Avey
Pistachio Biscotti
Boreka Diary
Honey Cake Classic
Sarina’s Sephardic Cuisine
Recipes for breaking the Yom Kippur Fast
Avgolemono (Egg and Lemon Soup), Besce Al’Ebraica (Fish – Italian Jewish Style), Djadja Zetoon (Moroccan Style Lemon Chicken with Olives), Zucca Disfatta (Pumpkin Puree)
Linda Morel for JTA
Meme Suissa’s Moroccan Harira Soup
David Suissa for Jewish Journal
Sephardic Fish in Tomato Sauce (Pescado Helado)
Katherine Romanow for Jewish Women’s ArchiveDessert
Additional Rosh Hashanah Resources:
What are Sephardic Rosh Hashana customs?
Ty Alhadeff, Stroum Center for Jewish Studies
A Sephardic seder for Rosh Hashanah
Edmon J. Rodman, JTA
For Centuries, Spanish Jews Have Held Rosh Hashanah Seders
Margarita Gokun Silver, The Forward
