New Harvest Moon and Rosh Hashanah

Tonight is the new moon. The Chinese call this eighth new moon the Harvest Moon, because it's harvest time! 
Tonight is also the first evening of Rosh Hashanah (Roash hah-shah-nuh), which falls at or near the new moon of late September or early October. The observance begins at sundown tonight and lasts for two days, but it's actually the start of a ten-day period called the Days of Awe that ends with Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah means “Head of the Year”; it’s the Jewish New Year for the Spirit. The focus of this festival is repentance for wrongs you have done, and reaffirmation that you will take the honorable path in the future.

Agenda for today:

1- Journal queries
2- New moon harvest meditation
3- Set intentions
4- Harvest and can pickled beets
5- Make challah
6- Share a Seder

1- Journal queries:
At Rosh Hashanah I turn my thoughts inward and look at the part of me that is God, to consider how I might be a better person in the year ahead. I ask myself--

Am I living my life, each day, in a way that leads me towards my mission?

Am I enjoying the journey on that path?

Do I feel honorable and contented?

What could I do better?

2- New moon harvest meditation:

• Light a small white candle. 
• Center and reflect on all I have harvested this year- friendships, knowledge, and experiences. 
• Feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life. 
• Repeat this every morning until the candle is burned down.

3- Set intentions:
The new moon is my monthly time for “seeding” intentions. I write down what I hope to focus on in the next 30 days or so, and then give my ideas a period of gestation, like seeds in the soil, before I take action. Having this regular time each month to focus my goals has helped to give me clarity of purpose.

List my intentions for the next four weeks-
1- Complete repairs on my studio space.
2- Begin to paint a new series.
3- Visit my friends.

4- Harvest and can pickled beets:

I have a bountiful harvest of beets this year, and I've been making them into pickles all summer. Today I plan to make some more pickled beets and can them for winter!

My recipe is pretty simple but delicious, because the beets have such good flavor when they are fresh and young.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. red beets

• 1-c. white vinegar

• 1/4-c. sugar

1- Scrub the beets well with a brush and cut off the ends. Place in a pot and fill with water until the beets are well covered. Cook until a fork can easily be pressed through, about 25 -30 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.

2- Meanwhile, fill a canning pot with water, and add jars. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for at least 10 minutes to sterilize jars. 

3- Heat the vinegar and sugar just to a boil.

4- When the beets have cooled enough to handle, peel off the skins and slice. Place into jars and pour the hot brine over the beets and seal with lids and rings.

5- Carefully lower the jars back into the pot. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes. 

If you don't want to can the pickles, store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

5- Make challah:

It's traditional to eat three foods on Rosh Hashanah: Honey for a sweet year, round apples, and round challah for a solid round year.

It's sometimes hard to find a round loaf of challah in a bakery, so I usually make my own.

Ingredients:

• 2 packets of yeast
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 egg yolks (reserve the whites)
• 1/3 c. oil
• 1/3 c. honey
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 6-1/2 to 7 c. white flour
• sesame seeds

Makes 2 loaves

1. Dissolve the yeast with the sugar in 1 c. of warm water right in the bowl of a Kitchen Aid mixer. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes, until bubbly.

2. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, oil, honey, and salt with 1 c. water.

3. When the yeast is ready, add flour, alternating with the wet ingredients. 

Just keep adding flour until all the dough comes together in a ball and doesn't stick to the sides or bottom. The dough should be soft and a little sticky. 

4. Place the dough in a very well oiled bowl, covered with a damp cloth and leave it to rise for an hour in a warm area. Punch it down and let it rise again, for maybe another 1/2 hour.

5. Divide the dough in half. I made one simple round loaf to use tonight, and one braided loaf to use later. Put the loaves on oiled pans, brush with the reserved egg whites, thinned with  a little water, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

6. Let the loaves rise for half an hour . Preheat your oven to 365ºF. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

6- Share a Seder:

My family had a small Seder and it was lovely. We lit candles, and said these prayers-

Barukh attah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz.
Blessed art Thou, oh God, Who brings forth bread from the earth.

We took a bite of the challah (dipped in honey), then continued with the following:

Barukh attah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha-olam, Borei peri ha-eitz.

Blessed art Thou, oh God, Creator of the fruit of the trees.

We took a bite from the apple (dipped in honey), then finished with:

Shana towva umetuka!
May the year be good and sweet!