Sweet Science & Sacred Snacks: The Apple of Rosh Hashanah’s Eye 🍎✨

By Greg Kellner with assistance from CoPilot

Ever bite into a crisp apple and wonder why it tastes like nature’s candy? The sweetness comes from a blend of fructose, glucose, and sucrose—natural sugars produced as the apple ripens. Sunlight fuels photosynthesis, turning starches into sugars, and enzymes like amylase help break those starches down. The result? A juicy burst of sweetness that’s both refreshing and scientifically satisfying.

But apples aren’t just a snack—they’re a symbol. On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, we dip apples in honey to express our hope for a sweet year ahead. The apple, often linked to the Garden of Eden, represents knowledge, renewal, and the cycles of life. Honey adds a layer of ancient symbolism: its golden glow and enduring sweetness remind us of blessings that stick around.

Together, apple and honey form a delicious ritual—a sensory prayer for joy, abundance, and new beginnings. It’s chemistry meets culture, biology meets belief.

So whether you’re savoring a Gala, crunching a Granny Smith, or swirling a slice in honey, know that you’re tasting both science and spirit.

Wishing everyone a year as sweet as a sun-ripened apple and as golden as honey on your fingertips. 🍯🍎

Shana Tova!