Dipping apple in honey is one of the most beloved and widely observed customs of Rosh Hashanah, expressing the hope for a sweet new year right at the start of the festive meal. At Eichlers, we carry honey and apple dishes in silver and decorative designs, suited to the Rosh Hashanah table and as meaningful gifts for the new year.
On the first night of Rosh Hashanah, it's customary to dip a piece of apple into honey before reciting a tefillah asking Hashem for a sweet and good year ahead. This simple, symbolic act is one of several simanim, symbolic foods, eaten on Rosh Hashanah, each chosen for wordplay or imagery connected to blessings for the coming year. The apple and honey custom is widely observed across nearly all Jewish communities, making a dedicated dish for this purpose one of the most universally useful additions to a Rosh Hashanah table.
Silver and silver-plated honey dishes bring a formal, coordinated presence to the Rosh Hashanah table, often featuring a small honey pot with a dedicated spoon alongside a matching plate for the apple slices. These pieces range from simple, functional designs through more ornately detailed sets featuring engraved patterns or sculpted elements, suited to a table already set with other Yom Tov silver.
Beyond silver, honey and apple dishes are available in ceramic, glass, and decorative finishes, often featuring apple or beehive shapes, pomegranate motifs, or other imagery traditionally associated with Rosh Hashanah and the new year. These themed pieces add a festive, seasonal touch to the table and are particularly popular for families who enjoy a more colorful, decorative presentation for the holiday.
Many honey and apple dishes are sold as a coordinated set, with a honey pot, spoon, and apple plate designed to be displayed and used together. Others are available as individual pieces, allowing a household to mix and match based on their existing table settings or to replace a single worn item without purchasing an entirely new set.
Consider whether you want a dedicated honey pot with a built-in spoon, which keeps the honey contained and prevents drips during serving, or a simpler open dish for a more rustic presentation. The right choice often comes down to personal preference and how the piece will coordinate with the rest of your Rosh Hashanah table setting.
A beautiful honey dish is a meaningful and timely gift ahead of Rosh Hashanah, particularly appropriate as a hostess gift when joining someone's table for the holiday meal or as a thoughtful present marking the start of the new year. Browse our full gifts for any occasion collection for more Rosh Hashanah gift ideas.
Rinse and dry the honey pot and apple plate promptly after each use to prevent sticky residue from contributing to tarnish over time. Use a silver polish formulated for sterling or plated silver periodically to maintain shine, and store the set together between uses to keep all pieces easy to find each year when Rosh Hashanah approaches.
A honey and apple dish is a sweet centerpiece for the Rosh Hashanah table. Eichlers carries everything else you need for the holiday as well.
The custom expresses the hope for a sweet and good year ahead, accompanied by a brief tefillah recited before eating. It's one of several simanim eaten on Rosh Hashanah, each chosen for symbolic meaning connected to blessings for the new year.
Most sets include a honey pot, often with a built-in spoon, paired with a matching plate for apple slices, designed to be displayed and used together at the Rosh Hashanah table.
A honey pot with a built-in spoon keeps honey contained and prevents drips during serving, while an open dish offers a simpler, more rustic presentation. The choice comes down to personal preference.
Yes. A beautiful honey dish is a thoughtful and timely gift when joining someone's table for the holiday, marking the occasion with a piece they'll likely use for years to come.
Rinse and dry promptly after each use to prevent sticky honey residue from contributing to tarnish, then polish periodically with a silver polish formulated for sterling or plated silver.
Yes. Ceramic, glass, and decorative finishes are widely available, often featuring apple, beehive, or pomegranate motifs traditionally associated with Rosh Hashanah and the new year.