Simanim Fruit Salad

This week, we prepared a "Simanim Fruit Salad" in our Hebrew Cooking elective. Simanim is the Hebrew word for symbols; each fruit in the salad symbolizes a connection to the Land of Israel and/or to our Jewish traditions.

As the students entered the classroom, I reminded them to go to the bathroom "leerchotz et ha'yada'im im sabon" (wash the hands with soap). Once everyone had gathered back in the room, I introduced them to what we would be preparing, then showed them the utensils they would be using:  sakeen (knife), loo'ach cheetooch (cutting board), kapeet (spoon), ke'ara maleh mayeem (a bowl filled with water), v'ke'ara reika (an empty bowl).

We then learned the names of the ingredients:  reemon (pomegranate), tapoo'ach (apple), ta'pooz (orange), t'mareem (dates), meetz tapoozeem (orange juice), v'meetz leemon (and lemon juice). The instructions began with, "leerchotz et ha'ta'poo'ach v'ha' ta'pooz ba'mayeem (wash the apple and the orange in the water).

I'll let the photos below tell the story of how we then cut and blended the fruits into a wonderfully light dessert, perfect for ending a heavy "Yom Tov" (holiday) meal. This salad is especially popular during the holiday of Sukkot which we celebrated a few weeks ago.

L'hafreed et ha'gareeneem me'ha'reemon, v'la'seem otam ba'ke'ara  (separate the seeds from the pomegranate and put them in the bowl)

See if you can count 613 seeds! (Tradition says that the pomegranate has the same number of seeds as commandments in the Torah, and is thus a symbol of the Torah. The decorations on top of each of the two wooden staves of the Torah are called "reemoneem" because they were originally shaped like pomegranates.)

One group counted up to 112 seeds, but then began to giggle and lost count!

Achshav, leechtoch et ha'tapu'ach l'shnei chalakeem, v'az l'arba chalakeem  (Now, cut the apple into two parts and then into four parts)

Leechtoch et ha'tapoo'ach l'chalakeem k'taneem v'la'seem otam ba'ke'ara  (cut the apple into small pieces and put them in the bowl)  European Jews (Ashkenazeem) began the tradition of dipping apples in honey, to start the new year on a sweet note.

l'kalef et ha'ta'pooz (peel the orange)

Achshav, leechtoch et ha'ta'pooz l'chalakeem k'taneem (now, cut the orange into small pieces)...

...v'la'seem et ha'chalakeem ba'ke'ara (and put the pieces in the bowl) Oranges have been one of Israel's most popular exports - the scent of the orange blossoms is a sign of spring in the land.

Leechtoch et ha't'mareem v'l'hoseef otam ba'ke'ara (Cut the dates and add them into the bowl) Dates were used to make wine and a form of honey in ancient Israel.

L'hoseef chatzi kos meetz ta'poozim v'kapeet meetz leemon (Add half a cup of orange juice and a tablespoon of lemon juice)...

Achshav, l'arbev et ha'peirot eem ha'meetz  (Now, mix the fruits with the juice )

L'sof, l'varech al peirot ha'etz  (Finally, bless the fruits of the tree) - Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, borei p'ri ha'etz... 

B'TEYAVON! (BON APETIT!) B'vakasha l'echol. (Please eat.)

Mee ohev "Salat Peirot Simanim"?  (Who likes Simonim Fruit Salad?) L'hareem yada'eem. (Raise your hands)