PASCACK VALLEY—A story plucked fresh from the tree: Children and families from Valley Chabad’s Friendship Circle were delighted Aug. 30 as they celebrated the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, by picking apples from the bountiful Demarest Farms Orchards in Hillsdale.
Valley Chabad Friendship Circle director Rabbi Yosef Orenstein told Pascack Press on Sept. 6 that “Apples are not just a delicious seasonal fruit, they also have special significance in Jewish tradition this time of year.”
He said, “On Rosh Hashanah we traditionally dip the apples in honey, symbolizing the hope for a sweet new year. Now the kids will be able to use their own hand-picked apples for this ritual at the festive meal.”
Rosh Hashanah 2023 begins on the evening of Friday, Sept. 15 and ends at sundown on Sunday, Sept. 17.
Farmer’s Almanac explains that “Rosh Hashanah is a religious and festive time when family and friends gather for meals and worship and grow closer to God. It’s a time for looking forward to a new year with anticipation and reflecting on the past year to improve ourselves for the next. This two-day Jewish celebration of the New Year literally translates to ‘head of the year’ in Hebrew. It is observed on the first and second days of the Jewish month of Tishrei, the first month in the civil calendar.”
Cathy Jacobs at The Spruce Eats says “The new year is celebrated over a two-day period, during which Jewish people refrain from work. Many attend morning prayer services at synagogues, where they listen to the ceremonial blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn. Prayers are made for a year ahead of peace, prosperity, and blessing, and good intentions are set for the mitzvahs (good deeds) that will be done. It is believed that a person’s actions on Rosh Hashanah have an enormous impact on the rest of the year. At home, Jews celebrate this festive holiday with two consecutive nights of feasting.”
Orenstein said Demarest Farms owners Jason DeGise and James Spollen made thoughtful accommodations for the group. “Children with special needs often require unique attention and space, and the farm staff were so accommodating and welcoming.”
The group also enjoyed the farm’s hayride and playground and visiting their farm animals. And they enjoyed meeting previous long-time owner of the farm Peter Demarest, who was in town from California for the week.
At the event, Orenstein sounded the shofar — the ram’s horn — which traditionally is sounded on Rosh Hashanah and in the weeks prior.
Friendship Circle, part of Valley Chabad’s Teen Leadership Initiative, cultivates friendships between teen volunteers and children with special needs and their families, creating an enriching experience for all.
Its teen-leader roster includes kids from Montvale, Woodcliff Lake, and Upper Saddle River.
The initiative also offers Linking Hearts, a unique program in which teen volunteers establish interpersonal relationships by visiting homebound senior citizens and nursing home residents; CTeen, which encourages teens to grow and learn about themselves and their community; Eternal Flame, a new program for teens that examines the history of the Holocaust; and CTeenU, which provides a series of classes aimed at challenging teens to incorporate Jewish thought into their everyday life. Ethics, philosophy, faith, history, community service, current events and textual studies are blended into each course.
Demarest Farms (demarestfarms.com) at 244 Wierimus Road was founded in 1886 and has since been a staple within the Bergen County Community. Offering a variety of activities, including peach picking, apple picking, and pumpkin picking, the farm notes it’s the perfect spot for family fun. The farm market offers plants, produce, fresh baked goods, and more for all of its guests to enjoy.
The orchard also is the home for the annual Orchard of Lights at Demarest Farm extravaganza: “Join us during the most magical time of year and experience the joy and wonder of the Orchard of Lights. Take your vehicle on a guided tour through 32 acres of brilliant holiday light displays, warm up by the fire pit and enjoy hot cocoa and treats in our retail farm market. Take pictures with Santa. Make your own S’mores. Listen to Santa’s singing reindeer.”