Shabbat
When most people think of holidays, they think of annual celebrations, but in Judaism there is one holiday that occurs every week - the Sabbath. Known in Hebrew as Shabbat and in Yiddish as Shabbos, this holiday is central to Jewish Life. As the great Jewish writer, Ahad Ha-Am has observed: "More than the Jewish people has kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept the Jewish people." The Sabbath truly has been a unifying force for Jews the world over.
All things Challah!
CHALLAH MUST-KNOWS
Not sure how, exactly, to braid challah? Check out Wasserman’s step-by-step video, How to Braid Challah, to get started – and of course, before you break bread, be sure to say HaMotzi - Blessing Over Bread Before a Meal.
Below are a few of our best challah recipes, plus DIY videos and more. Here’s to inspiring your own venture into the world of baking challah!
TRADITIONAL CHALLAH
- Homemade Challah: The secret ingredient? The addition of plain, low-fat yogurt guarantees a moist, crusty challah.
- Round Challah: Wasserman says this moist, cakelike challah is always a big hit at her annual Rosh HaShanah open house. (Not sure how to craft a round challah? Watch A Round Challah How-To to get started.)
- Food Processor Challah: In this easy recipe from a synagogue sisterhood in Louisville, KY, a food processor does most of the hard work for you.
- No-Knead Challah: This pareve recipe from a synagogue sisterhood in Indianapolis, IN, calls for refrigerating the dough before baking.
Blessings and Customs
“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Eternal your God.” -Exodus 20:9-10
Jewish tradition commands us to observe the holiday of Shabbat each week, from sundown on Friday night until sundown on Saturday night. In our hectic, multi-tasking lives, these hours– can be a welcome respite from the pace of everyday life, an opportunity to slow down, spend time with friends and loved ones, do things we enjoy, or just appreciate creation, the world around us, and other things that fly past us during the rest of the week.
TZEDAKAH
In many households, the weekly celebration of Shabbat is preceded by the mitzvah (religious obligation) of giving tzedakah (contributing money to help those in need), most commonly by placing money in a tzedakah box to then be donated to a particular charity or meaningful cause..
SHABBAT GREETINGS
It is customary to exchange special greetings on Shabbat. In Yiddish, the greeting is “Gut Shabbos,” which means “Have a good Sabbath.” More...