Rosh Hashanah, the two-day Jewish New Year, is celebrated with feasts, prayer, candle lighting and blowing the shofar, a ram’s horn. This year, the holiday begins at sundown on Friday, Sept. 11, and continues through nightfall Sunday, Sept. 13.
Traditional foods served during Rosh Hashanah include challah, dates, pomegranates and apples dipped in honey, all meant to symbolize a sweet year ahead. Fish — particularly a fish head or the head of another kosher animal — is also customary, representing the biblical wish “that we be a head and not a tail.” Tzimmes, a traditional Jewish dish made with carrots or other root vegetables, is associated with prosperity; the Yiddish word for carrots, meren, means “to multiply.”
Sonoma County restaurants and Jewish congregations will celebrate Rosh Hashanah with a variety of dinners, services and family programs, blending traditional observances with a Wine Country touch. Shanah tovah!
Celebrations
Congregation Shomrei Torah
Santa Rosa’s Congregation Shomrei Torah will hold several services and a potluck for Rosh Hashanah. A children’s service will be held from 5-6 p.m. on Sept. 11, followed by a full Erev Rosh Hashanah service from 7:30-9 p.m., featuring prayer and song, at the Center For Spiritual Living (2075 Occidental Road). A morning service will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 12 at the same location. Youth programs for ages 2-18 will be available.
The congregation will hold a Tashlich service from 4-5 p.m. Sept. 12 at Lake Ralphine in Howarth Park (630 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa). A second-day Rosh Hashanah service and potluck will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at Congregation Shomrei Torah.
The events are free, but registration is required. Learn more and register online. Congregation Shomrei Torah, 2600 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, 707-578-5519, cstsr.org
Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma
Petaluma’s Chabad Jewish Center will host a traditional Rosh Hashanah community dinner at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Chabad center on Keller Street. The dinner will include round challah, apples and honey, brisket and more. Tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for children. Holiday services and shofar blowing will be held at the center from 10:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 13. A Rosh Hashanah Kids Fest, with crafts, games, sweet treats and a beekeeper demonstration, will be held from 4-5 p.m. Sept. 13 at Lucchesi Park. The festival will be followed by shofar blowing and a Tashlich meditation at 5 p.m.
There is no charge for the Sept. 13 services, though donations are appreciated. RSVP or purchase dinner tickets online. Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma, 205 Keller St., Petaluma, 707-559-8585, jewishpetaluma.com
Sonoma Valley Chabad Jewish Center
The Sonoma Valley Chabad Jewish Center will host a dinner, prayer services and other programs during Rosh Hashanah. A community dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Sonoma Valley Woman’s Club (574 First St. E.). Dinner is $54 per person; purchase tickets online.
On Sept. 12 and 13, the Chabad center will host morning prayer services at 10 a.m., a children’s program at 11 a.m. and lunch buffet at noon at 430 W. Napa St., Suite F, in Sonoma. The Rosh Hashanah gathering will include shofar blowing at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 13.
A separate shofar blowing and Tashlich meditation will take place at 5 p.m. Sept. 13 on the Sonoma Plaza.
Holiday services Sept. 12-13 are free and open to all. RSVP or make a donation online. Sonoma Valley Chabad Jewish Center, 858 Third St. W., Sonoma, 929-253-0820, svjewishcenter.com/highholidays
Joseph Weingarten Chabad Jewish Center
Santa Rosa’s Joseph Weingarten Chabad Jewish Center will host evening Rosh Hashanah services followed by a dinner at 7 p.m. Sept. 11.
Services and lunch will be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 12 and 13, with a Rosh Hashanah children’s program at 11 a.m. Sept. 12.
There is no charge for the dinner or services, but donations are appreciated. RSVP or donate online. Joseph Weingarten Chabad Jewish Center, 2461 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, 707-577-0277, jewishsonoma.com
Congregation Beth Ami
Congregation Beth Ami will host Rabbi Ron Koas and cantorial soloist Jessie Leider for an Erev Rosh Hashanah service, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Sept. 11 followed by an oneg, or after-service social gathering, with sparkling wine, apple cider and honey cake.
The congregation will hold a Tashlich service and community potluck on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. The service begins at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at Lake Ralphine in Howarth Park.
A vegetarian potluck starts at 6 p.m. at Congregation Beth Ami, followed by a ma’ariv prayer service at 7 p.m. in the Beth Ami Sanctuary. Guests may bring a dairy or vegetarian dish to share and a drink of their choice.
RSVP to the Beth Ami office by noon Sept. 10. Congregation Beth Ami, 4676 Mayette Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-360-3000, bethamisr.org
Food
Drewish Deli
Healdsburg’s traditional Jewish deli and bagel shop is offering High Holiday catering for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The menu, available as a full meal or a la carte, includes round plain or raisin challah; potato latkes with applesauce and creme fraiche; matzo ball soup; brisket with gravy and horseradish aioli; chocolate or cinnamon babka; and chocolate or cinnamon-apple butter rugelach. Order by Sept. 6 for Rosh Hashanah and by Sept. 15 for Yom Kippur.
Orders can be placed online, by phone or in person at the deli. 11 Mitchell Lane, Healdsburg, 707-955-0600, drewishdeli.com
Grossman’s Noshery & Bar
Jewish deli and restaurant Grossman’s will offer a Rosh Hashanah menu for dine-in, pickup and delivery Sept. 11-13.
The menu includes round challah with raisins and currants; potato-leek latkes with applesauce and sour cream; pomegranate-molasses roasted carrots; a smoked and pickled fish board; and honey cake with apple buttercream, along with other Grossman’s staples. Preorders are available now; order online. 308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-7707, grossmanssr.com
Marla Bakery
Marla will offer round raisin challah with honey for pickup Sept. 11-13 at its downtown Santa Rosa bakery and at select Bay Area farmers markets. $15 each. Order online for pickup. 208 Davis St., Santa Rosa, 707-852-4098, marlabakery.com
Sonoma Wine Shop & La Bodega
Sebastopol’s La Bodega will celebrate Rosh Hashanah with a social hour beginning at 5 p.m. and dinner service at 6 p.m. Sept. 13. Jewish musician and educator Rick Concoff will lead a holiday service in song at 5:30 p.m., with traditional apples and honey available for snacking.
The dinner menu includes raisin challah; apple and endive salad with pomegranate; saffron and rose petal arancini; Jerusalem kugel; tzimmes, or orange-glazed carrots; Middle Eastern stuffed cabbage; honey date cake; and apple tarts.
Dinner is $69 for adult guests, $59 for members, $49 for youth ages 13-17, $39 for children ages 6-12 and $29 for kids ages 2-5. Learn more and purchase tickets online. 2295 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-827-1832, sonomawineshop.com