There are certain tastes that make it feel like Rosh Hashanah.

An apple dipped in honey. The jewel-like seeds of a pomegranate. A round challah, golden and sometimes studded with raisins. Glazed sweet potatoes. A melt-in-your mouth holiday roast or brisket. And the simanim, the symbolic foods placed on the table with hopes and blessings for a sweet, abundant year ahead.

A Rosh Hashanah table brings magic to Jewish families. Candles flickering. Familiar recipes making their annual appearance. Plates being passed around. Full bellies, full hearts, and the simple joy of being surrounded by loved ones.

This Friday night, community members across Greater Washington will gather around their tables to welcome the Jewish New Year.

For families who keep kosher, especially larger households, preparing that table can mean buying significant quantities of kosher meat, produce and holiday staples, and the costs can add up quickly. For families already feeling financial pressure, the High Holidays can bring an added burden at a time that is meant to be filled with joy.

That’s where Yad Yehuda, a partner of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, comes in.

How Yad Yehuda is Bringing Joy this High Holiday Season

Thousands of individuals across the Greater Washington Jewish community rely on Capital Kosher Pantry, the region’s only kosher food pantry, for support provided in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. A program of Yad Yehuda, the pantry provides fresh produce, proteins, shelf-stable groceries and personal care items, restocked weekly.

But Rosh Hashanah requires something more. “We want people to be able to celebrate the holidays without worrying about how they’re going to afford them,” says Stephanie Savir, Director of Operations at Yad Yehuda.

In the days leading up to the holiday, Yad Yehuda mobilizes its entire network to make that possible. Kosher food providers, dozens of volunteers, companies, synagogues, other food pantries and community partners come together to help fill the pantry’s shelves and freezers.

Packing for a Sweet New Year with the Capital Kosher Pantry

Community members have spent the week working side by side volunteering to unload deliveries, sort enormous quantities of food, pack Rosh Hashanah boxes and prepare them for distribution.

Thanks to support from Federation, pallets of fresh produce have arrived by the thousands of pounds. Cold storage has been filled with roasts and chicken. More deliveries continue to arrive as the holiday approaches.

It takes an entire community to prepare for a holiday at this scale. And this is exactly the kind of work that happens when Federation’s partnership with a local organization extends into active community engagement.

Yad Yehuda expects this year’s Rosh Hashanah distribution to reach approximately 1,600 to 1,800 individuals.

The Capital Kosher Pantry has grown considerably since its beginnings as a small food closet. Today, the organization operates a dedicated facility with multiple refrigeration units, a 20-foot freezer container, pantry, and other services designed to meet the needs of the community. During the year, it runs much like a small grocery store, where patrons can confidentially schedule appointments and select foods for their households.

A Community that Brings Light to Everyone

Supporting a thriving Jewish community in Greater Washington means making sure people can participate fully in Jewish life in ways that reflect who they are. For families who keep kosher, that means having access to kosher food.

For those celebrating Rosh Hashanah, it means having the ingredients to prepare the foods that carry generations of meaning.

And for all of us, it means making sure that financial circumstances do not determine who gets to experience the joy and traditions of the Jewish holidays.

That is why Federation is proud to support Yad Yehuda. By strengthening the organizations that understand the distinct needs of our community and are there to meet them, Federation ensures we are not only present in moments of crisis, but in the ordinary, deeply meaningful moments that make up Jewish life.

This is what it means to make room for everyone at the table. Together, we can make sure that, regardless of circumstance, anyone in our community can celebrate, participate, and create their own Rosh Hashanah memories.

Learn more about Yad Yehuda’s food pantry here.