Italian Word of the Week UN ANNO DOLCE

By Daniela Gross

The whole expression sounds as “Che sia un anno dolce come il miele” (“May this year be as sweet as the honey”) and translates the traditional Hebrew wish for Rosh Hashanah. It is quite common to hear it in these days in the Italian Jewish Communities even if it is maybe an expression more related to the oldest generation, for whom the Hebrew was still distant and generally unknown. Anyway, beyond any linguistic distinction in Italy these are the days when you really feel a new year approaching. It is the Rosh Hashanah, of course, but it is also that strong feeling of a season of restarting.
After the long August vacation, the schools have reopened less than two weeks ago and with the scholastic year’s beginning also the work takes its habitual rhythms as is the political scene. In these days – when you realize that even the climatic season is changing, the leaves begin to fall and the day are definitely shorter – to prepare yourself to a new cycle sounds so natural and right.
I simply would like to wish to all our readers “Che sia un anno dolce come il miele”.