A while ago I posted about how Zionism is a Jewish philosophy and therefore needs to be understood in a Jewish manner & Jewish contexts. That brought out some... Responses.
I was at a dinner recently and mentioned how as soon as we can (adoption is complex) we are getting Aviva a passport in case we need it. Our friends could not understand why we would need it or want an exit plan & it was honestly a frustrating conversation for me & Nate.
I bring this up bc of not just the attacks in Manchester, but the response to posts about antisemitism. I bring this up bc at synagogue yesterday we needed EXTRA police protection. I would rather focus on the challah & the sukkah we will put together Sunday. Because Jewish joy is beautiful. שַׁבַּת שָׁלוֹם
The point of this is not just to do some musings on bread (although y'all know I love musings on food). But to remember that Judaism has a long, rich tradition. We have been attacked, we have been persecuted, & still we continue to, every shabbat, make challah.
The first mention of Challah is in בְּמִדְבַּר (Numbers) 15:20. In the Mishnah, there is a whole tractate around challah, which focuses on dough offering. While the challah may look different in different Jewish cultures, (braiding started in Germany/Austria around the 1500s).
One thing I love about making challah every week is how it is an easy way to bring my children into their traditions. Every Friday night my son is excited for Shabbat (mostly for the juice and the challah). With some exceptions, it's a night we spend together or with others. It is an old tradition.
