Why do we dip apples in honey on Rosh Hashanah?

Apples dipped in honey are the best-known simanim (symbolic foods) of Rosh Hashanah, eaten right after Kiddush to express a wish for a sweet, good new year. The apple represents the sweetness we hope to draw down for the year ahead, and many families recite a short prayer for a "shana tova u'metuka" before taking the first bite. Because the custom is so universal, a dedicated honey dish is one of the most-used pieces on the Rosh Hashanah table, often brought out year after year as a family heirloom.

What is a Simanim seder, and in what order are the symbolic foods eaten?

The Simanim seder is a short ritual on the first night(s) of Rosh Hashanah where symbolic foods — apple in honey, pomegranate, dates, leek, beets, gourd, and the head of a fish or ram, among others — are eaten in sequence, each accompanied by a short line of prayer that plays on its Hebrew or Aramaic name. The order generally follows the sequence recorded in the Talmud (Horayot 12a) and later codified by the Shulchan Aruch, though small variations exist between communities. A dedicated Simanim tray with individual sections for each food, often paired with printed cards listing the blessings, makes it easy to run the seder smoothly at the table.

Is the Rosh Hashanah Simanim seder an Ashkenazi or Sephardic custom?

The full Simanim seder, with its many foods beyond apples and honey, is rooted in Sephardic and Edut Mizrach tradition, where it has been observed in detail for centuries. Ashkenazi custom historically centered on the apple-and-honey dip alone, though the Mishnah Berurah and other Ashkenazi poskim reference several of the same simanim, and today many Ashkenazi families run the fuller seder as well. Waterdale's Simanim trays and card sets are written to work for either tradition, listing the foods and blessings so any family can follow along regardless of custom.

What's the best material for a Rosh Hashanah honey dish — glass, silver, or Lucite?

Glass and Lucite/acrylic honey dishes are easy to clean between servings and let the honey's color show through, while silver-plated dishes bring a more formal, heirloom look to the table. There's no halachic requirement for a specific material, so the choice comes down to the table's overall style and how much daily wear the piece needs to withstand. Setting aside a dish used only for Rosh Hashanah, regardless of material, is a common practice that also helps preserve the piece.

Is there a blessing said before eating the honey and apples?

After Kiddush, it's customary to dip a piece of apple in honey, say the HaEtz blessing over the fruit, and then add a short prayer expressing the wish for a good and sweet new year before eating. Many families repeat this on each night of Rosh Hashanah, and it's often the very first food eaten at the meal. The exact wording of the accompanying prayer varies slightly by community, but the theme of asking for sweetness and renewal is consistent.

What foods are traditionally included on a Simanim tray?

A typical Simanim tray includes sections for apple and honey, pomegranate, dates, leek or scallion, beets or spinach, squash or gourd, and often a fish or ram's head, though households vary in exactly which items they include. Each food is chosen because its Hebrew, Aramaic, or descriptive name suggests a wish — dates (tamar), for instance, relate to the word for "finished" (tam), used to pray that harm from our enemies should end. Waterdale's Simanim trays are built with individual compartments for each food, often paired with a card listing the blessings.

What's a meaningful Rosh Hashanah gift for someone hosting their first holiday meal?

A well-made honey dish or a full Simanim tray with blessing cards is a practical, lasting gift for a first-time host — it's a piece they'll set out year after year, and the included cards take the pressure off remembering the full seder. Lucite Simanim cards on their own make a lighter, budget-friendly gift for a co-worker or neighbor's table. Because these pieces tend to become family staples, a gift given one year is often still in use a decade later.

How many honey dishes do I need for a Rosh Hashanah table?

Most households use one honey dish per table, positioned centrally so it can be passed around after Kiddush, though larger gatherings sometimes use one per table or one per few guests to cut down on passing. Personal-sized honey dishes have also become popular for larger sedarim, giving each guest their own without sharing. There's no requirement for multiples — one dish is entirely sufficient for a standard family meal.