Make It Yours

Are you done with your Rosh Ha-Shanah shopping? By the time I’m finishing this blog on Friday afternoon, my kitchen is already stocked with simanim: pomegranate, beets, pumpkin, honey, apples, green beans, scallions, fish, and carrots. Dates are still on my list, and I’m debating what will stand in for the ram’s head (most likely one of my kids’ Lego figurines will meet its fate…). 

But full disclosure — the most important delivery for our Rosh Ha-Shanah party isn’t the food. It’s the costumes. On the way are Abby’s floral t-shirt, purple wig, and yellow beanie; Jinu’s white t-shirt; Romance Saja’s yellow shirt with pink heart-buttons and pink wig; and Rumi’s deep purple wig with the long braid. If you’re confused right now, it means you don’t live with pre-teens or teens and haven’t been pulled into the world of K-Pop Demon Hunters. And even if you have watched it, you’re probably still wondering how this connects to Rosh Ha-Shanah! 

Here’s how: every year, our family hosts a big Rosh Ha-Shanah party with 5–8 families — usually 25–35 people. Each family brings food and a creative gift (a song, poem, dance, comedy act) tied to the theme of the year. One year it was Seven Days of Creation, another year it was simanim. This year’s theme is Rosh Ha-Shanah Around the World. Each family chooses a country and brings both food and a creative expression about Rosh ha-Shanah in this culture. When I asked our boys (ages 5 and 9) which country we should choose, they screamed in unison: KOREA! 

So… this year, we’re rewriting the lyrics to a K-Pop Demon Hunters song as a Rosh Ha-Shanah song. In Russian. (Don’t ask — it somehow makes sense in our house.) 

So why am I sharing all of this with you? Because I have a few wishes for you before the holiday: 

• I wish you a community that matches your level of “crazy” — one that’s ready to laugh, sing, cook, and celebrate Jewish tradition together in creative ways. And if you’re still looking for that kind of community, Pozez JCC is a great place to find it. 

• I wish you the courage to make Jewish tradition yours. Our heritage is ancient, rich, and endlessly relevant to modern life. There’s room for Torah and Talmud, but also for poetry, art, and yes — even K-Pop. 

If you’d like to explore how to bring Jewish traditions to life in ways that feel joyful and meaningful for you, I’d love to help. You can schedule time with me here. 

And if you need last-minute inspiration for your holiday table, here are a few links for inspiration: 

• a link to a Rosh Ha-Shanah Haggadah available in English, Hebrew, Russian, and Spanish 

• Sweeten your holiday prep — follow @miriams__kitchen for quick, creative Jewish recipes and baking ideas 

• For inspirational ideas for kids, the best address is PJ Library Holiday hub. 

(Oh, and in case you were wondering: the K-Pop costumes did arrive while I was finishing this blog. Depending on how our performance turns out, I might even share it on my social media after the holiday!) 

Shanah Tovah U’Metukah — may it be a sweet, joyful, and meaningful new year!