As we Speed Towards the New Year: Weaving 5 Symbols of the Jewish New Year into Your Stories (with examples)

As the Jewish New Year approaches, I have begun to put together a new short story collection. My goal is to get to 10-12 brand new stories. I have about 3 so far, so my goal is to be halfway by Rosh Hashana. As I reflect on the powerful symbols of the Jewish New Year: the shofar, apples and honey, pomegranates, Tashlich, and the head of the fish, I try to draw on them to help me with my new work. These symbols are rich with meaning and can be woven into literature in ways that bring depth and transformation to our characters. In this post, I'll explore how these symbols can be brought into your stories, drawing from stories I'm familiar with to inspire new ideas.

1. The Shofar: A Call to Action The shofar's blast is a call to awaken from spiritual slumber and take action. In contemporary Jewish literature, we often see characters faced with moments of awakening that transform their lives. In Nicole Krauss's Forest Dark, we encounter characters on spiritual journeys, awakening to new realities about their identities and lives. Like the shofar's call, their inner quests prompt them to take bold steps toward self-realization. You can use the shofar as a metaphor for a pivotal moment in your story, when a character is jolted into action, forcing them to face long-ignored truths and transform their path forward.

2. Apples and Honey: Sweetness Amidst Bitterness Dipping apples in honey is a symbol of our hope for sweetness, even in a world that can be harsh (and yes, I'm talking to you 2024). This contrast is illustrated in Nathan Englander's What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank, where moments of humor and tenderness are juxtaposed with the darker aspects of Jewish history and identity. The sweetness of apples and honey can serve as a powerful image in your stories, representing fleeting moments of happiness that sustain your characters, even when the larger context is challenging or painful. Incorporating this symbol can heighten the emotional stakes of your narrative, underscoring the resilience of your characters in the face of adversity.

3. Pomegranates: Abundance and Mystery Pomegranates, with their multitude of seeds, are symbols of abundance, fertility, and the mysteries of life. In The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sarit Yishai-Levi, the layers of family secrets and generational trauma are slowly peeled back, revealing hidden depths. Just as the pomegranate's many seeds symbolize abundance, so do the many layers of the story reflect the complex relationships between mothers and daughters across different periods in Israeli history. Pomegranates in your writing could symbolize the secrets your characters harbor or the unraveling of their complex histories, mirroring the way Yishai-Levi slowly reveals the hidden truths of her characters.

4. Tashlich: Letting Go and Moving Forward The Tashlich ritual—casting away sins into flowing water—symbolizes renewal and the opportunity to move forward. In The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish, characters are weighed down by the burdens of their past decisions, but the story is also about finding ways to move beyond them. The process of translating centuries-old letters allows the characters to find closure and move toward renewal, much like the act of Tashlich. This ritual can be used in your writing as a powerful moment of catharsis, when a character symbolically casts away past mistakes or traumas, allowing them to step into a new chapter of life.

5. The Head of the Fish: Leadership and Vision The head of the fish symbolizes leadership and the vision to guide others toward a brighter future. In All the Rivers by Dorit Rabinyan, Liat and Hilmi's forbidden love story challenges their identities and places them in roles where they must decide whether to lead their own lives according to societal expectations or chart a new course. Their relationship reflects the challenges of leadership on a personal level—choosing which direction to take despite the consequences. In your stories, the head of the fish could represent a character's struggle with leadership—whether they are thrust into a role of guiding others or forced to envision a future that diverges from the norm, just as Liat and Hilmi do.

Bringing the Symbols to Life The symbols of Rosh Hashanah—shofar, apples and honey, pomegranates, Tashlich, and the head of the fish—offer profound opportunities for deepening your narratives. Drawing inspiration from modern Jewish literature, we see how these symbols resonate in contemporary stories that grapple with identity, renewal, and the complexities of life. From Nicole Krauss's exploration of spiritual awakenings to Rachel Kadish's tales of letting go of the past, these symbols offer rich possibilities for your characters' journeys.

As we step into the Jewish New Year, may these symbols inspire your writing, helping you craft stories filled with meaning, transformation, and emotional depth.

Shanah Tovah U'metukah—may your New Year be as sweet and rich as the stories you create.