More Rosh Hashana Reflections

• Today was the end of a trivia question.  Last year at Chazara Bowl during Color War, one of the questions was, "when do you read the Torah for 5 consecutive days wthout ever saying Hallel?".  The answer, as two of our students knew (Daniella and Avital, right?) was when Rosh Hashana falls out on Thursday and Friday, Tzom Gedalia is observed a day late on Sunday, and we lain on שבת and Monday as usual.  Today was the first day since erev Rosh Hashana that we did not read the Torah.
• A quick reminder - the סימנים that we eat on Rosh Hashana are not superstitions or magic.  Eating carrots or the head of a fish do not guarantee us a good year, not even dipping the apple in the honey, no matter how loud or clear you make the bracha.  They are simply physical manifestations that concretizes our prayers.  For that reason, I don't even eat most of the foods, but say the same יהי רצון while pointing at them.  The whole matter is a collection of puns and wordplays, from both Hebrew and Yiddish.  In fact, many people have continueed this tradition, adding new simanim with connections to the English.  I have heard of people having raisins and celery (for a raise in salary).  A guest of ours told us of a Rabbi who after his wife had served figs, certain that she remembered that it was one of the simanim prayed that Hashem should "fig-ive and fig-et".  For breakfast, I had my children choose between Life and Honeycombs.  While innovation in matters of Jewish ritual are often controversial, this is an area where I think everyone would support creativity in this area.