The aroma of yeast fills the house. It is Friday afternoon. The children drop their backpacks near the door, heaven forbid that they put them away, and quickly make their way to the kitchen. "Is it time yet?" they ask in unison. They want to make sure that they haven't missed braiding the challah. Sometimes they get home early enough for the second kneading; but usually they get home just in time to shape the bread into the fanciest braids possible, sometimes even creating braids with six strands. In Jewish tradition, challah is served for Shabbat. The smell of the challah baking not only makes my home smell wonderful, it also heralds the Sabbath, the day of rest, a time of peace and tranquility.
The very act of creating a challah is one of transition.
This article appears in Aug 19-25, 2009.
