Join me next Thursday 18th February 2021 at 6:30pm (Irish time) for our fourth lecture, which will look at the frequent convergence of Irish and Jewish
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Of the essential elements comprising Judaism, perhaps the most universally known and beloved is challah, the centerpiece of the weekly Shabbat table and many holidays.
Yet challah did not start out as the rich, sweet egg bread we eagerly rip apart after the Shabbat blessing or dip in egg to fry for French toast. Biblically, challah was referred to as the portion of bread given to the kohen (priest). This weekly ritual, usually conducted by women, who were responsible for baking the bread, involved throwing a piece of dough into the fire.
In medieval times, challah was a plain, simple bread. According to Maggie Glezer, author of