April Birth Bread
Birth Bread
Bagel
Bagels are historically rich breads created by Jewish bakers living in Eastern Europe around the 13th century. Derived from the Yiddish word 'bugel' (circular bread), their ring shape has symbolized eternity, infinity, and the cycle of life. Following Jewish dietary laws, they are made without any dairy products or eggs, giving them the flexibility to be combined with any meal. The unique texture - crispy outside and chewy inside - is achieved by shaping wheat dough into rings, then boiling them in a process called 'kettling' before baking. Preserved through generations by Jewish communities who overcame persecution and migrated to America, bagels are now beloved worldwide as healthy bread. Their resilient texture and capacity to embrace any ingredient deeply resonate with people facing changes and challenges of the new fiscal year.
Features
- Unique texture with crispy exterior and chewy interior created by the distinctive boiling-then-baking method (kettling)
- Simple ingredient composition without dairy or eggs, allowing combination with a wide variety of foods
- Perfect circular (ring) shape symbolizing eternity and infinity
- Traditional methods and recipes inherited from Jewish culture since the 13th century
- Low-fat and healthy nutritional profile
Personality
- A resilient character with strong core that doesn't yield to pressure, yet possesses the tolerance to flexibly accept external stimuli
- Sociable nature that can naturally harmonize with anyone, possessing simple yet profound charm
- High adaptability to new environments and changes while cherishing traditions
- Aspiration for perfection as shown by the perfect circle, and diligence that spares no continuous effort to support it
- Deep insight and compassion for others born from the experience of overcoming difficult history
Symbolic Meaning
- Eternity and infinity: The circular form with no beginning or end expresses the flow of time and cycle of life, symbolizing enduring power
- Resilience and recovery: Mental strength and flexibility that maintains original form while enduring external pressure
- Community bonds: As food shared around one table, symbolizing connections between people
- Cultural inheritance: The weight of tradition passed down through persecution and adaptability in new lands
- Inclusiveness and diversity: Tolerance that accepts any ingredient and harmony with different cultures
Reason for Selection
- April marks the beginning of the new fiscal year, requiring adaptation to new environments and relationships. Bagel's resilience and flexibility symbolize the power to respond to change
- The beautiful, glossy surface like spring cherry blossoms expresses the brilliance and hope of new beginnings, resonating with April's splendor
- The perfect ring shape represents the eternal cycle from end to beginning, aligning with the cyclical time concept of fiscal year transition
- The method of becoming delicious through the trial of boiling overlaps with humans growing by overcoming tensions and difficulties of the new fiscal year
- The experience of persecution and migration engraved in Jewish history deeply resonates with the feelings of April people holding anxiety and hope in new environments
Protection & Effects
- Guardian of new environment adaptation: Grants flexibility to adapt to any environment and core strength to maintain one's true self
- Protection of harmonious relationships: Provides the power to build good relationships blessed with new encounters through simple yet profound charm
- Blessing of perseverance: Strengthens enduring willpower that doesn't succumb to difficulties through the power of the circular form with no beginning or end
- Protection of creativity: Nurtures a heart open to new ideas and possibilities through the tolerance that accepts diverse ingredients
- Shelter of cultural wisdom: Provides insight and solutions to modern challenges through the wisdom of long-standing traditions
Trials & Growth
- Trap of perfectionism: Tendency to restrict actions by excessively worrying about small flaws and failures while seeking the perfection of circular form
- Clinging to tradition: Resistance to accepting necessary changes and innovations due to pride in historical methods and culture
- Excessive adaptation efforts: Risk of losing original personality and values by trying too hard to fit into any environment
- Overconfidence in pressure: Tendency to take on unreasonable burdens and responsibilities by overestimating the power to overcome trials like boiling
- Challenge of loneliness: Situation where necessary support and cooperation cannot be sought by avoiding reliance on others due to having a strong core