22 September 2025

The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, begins at sundown tonight. Even if you’re not Jewish or spiritual, there’s something so great about a life “re-set”! We have spring cleaning, so why not an autumn clear-out?

Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the High Holy Days, a 10-day period of self-examination that ends with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Jews use this time to reflect on the past year, make amends with others, and set intentions for the year ahead. Productivity gurus might recommend a similar strategy for cultivating success.

If I have hurt or offended you in any way this year, please reach out an give me a chance to make amends.

In 2010, I attended the inaugural “Food For Your Whole Life” symposium with Dr. Oz and Dr. David Katz, and this sparked my passion for lifestyle medicine. When Dr. Katz described how “feet, fingers and forks” (physical activity, not smoking & healthy diet) could prevent up to 80% of chronic disease, I couldn’t understand why everyone wasn’t talking about this!

While Mehmet may have headed off in a decidedly less evidence-based direction, Dr. Katz went on to found the True Health Initiative, an organization that brings together and promotes the proven health concepts supported by the majority of qualified health professionals. Of course, nutrition research is ongoing (although, recently, studies and nutrition resources have had funding cuts), but there are basic foundations of a healthy diet that have not changed over several decades, and which -if made more accessible and culturally accepted - could solve most of our population-based health problems.

Healthy people have more fun. It’s as true today as when Dr. Katz said it fifteen years ago. We often take health for granted. But, without it, life becomes a struggle. We all want to do the things we want to do - whether that’s spending time with family or friends, hiking, biking or even time alone with a good book! Good health gets us there - healthspan is way more important than lifespan in my opinion.

Tonight, we pray to be written in the book of life for a good year. From my perspective, the praying sets the stage for mindfulness, but the accountability is our own. Taking the initiative to care for ourselves, tikkun olam (repair the world) and treating others in a way that acknowledges we are all unique yet connected - these are the things that will make it a good year.

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Tonight, the shofar (a ram’s horn) is blown as a wake-up call for spiritual awareness. Wanting to be inclusive, not exclusive, I was wondering what vegans might do in place of this and here’s what I came up with:

Traditional foods include apples dipped in honey (to symbolize a sweet new year) and round challah bread (to symbolize the cycle of time). Honey is not vegan (this is something I only learned recently, but I guess if you’re strict about not making another creature work to produce food for you, that makes sense…although many vegetables and fruits require pollinators so…wow, you could really go down a rabbit hole here…).

Above are my mini round challot (made with aquafaba, no eggs) and apples with [tofu] cheese and agave (because I had no honey). I usually like to put a few pomegranate seeds on top, but I don’t have them handy so it’s not quite as colorful today!

Please reach out if you would like the recipes - or a taste (if you’re in Northern Westchester)!

Take advantage of this fresh start. And if yours means including more plant based eating in your life (which I highly recommend!) - or even if it doesn’t, let’s talk!