Our challah recipe

Where it may be eaten with meat dishes, milk and butter are ommitted and oil or margarine and water used.

Yeast : fresh yeast bought at your local boulangére or instant yeast bought at local supermarket. 25g fresh = 1 sachet (15ml) instant
The fresh yeast must be a pale grey colour. If you mix it with a little sugar, it becomes liquid and can then be added to the other ingredients.

1 packet instant yeast or 25g fresh yeast
45ml (3tbs) sugar
5 x 250ml flour
15ml (1 Tbs) salt
3 eggs, lighly beaten
60g (1/4 cup) soft butter, margarine or oil
310ml (11/4 cup) warm water or milk (approx)

Sift all dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl. Make a well and Add yeast according to your type. Then add lightly beaten eggs and milk, mix together with wooden spoon. Then add softened butter. Start mixing with fingers.
Turn it out onto a well-floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (This takes max. 10 minutes). Do not overwork dough as it may avoid dough rising.
Place the dough in a large bowl (at least 3 times bigger than dough) lightly oil sides of bowl to avoid it sticking, cover with a warm damp cloth or cling wrap and leave in a warm place to rise to double its size. Then cover with cloth
After the dough has risen, return it to the floured surface; divide into two for loaves. *
Divide each half into 3 and roll each piece into a long sausage.
Plait crossing the braid over and not under. Do not braid too tight.
**Cover and leave to rise till double its size
Brush with yellow of egg and sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds or just plain.

Bake at 180°C for about 25-30 minutes or until golden.

*/**If you intend freezing stop at this step or just after braiding.

Braiding : divide into three long sausages. Pinch the tops together and fold under. Cross the right over the centre and then left over the centre through till end of bread. Pinch bottoms together and fold under. Ensure that the tops and bottoms are well pinched together and folded under to avoid it separating during baking...

Shabbat Sunday Fun

Today we made our own challah, ...

the kids did a great job of rolling the dough , then braiding and finally baking...

but it did not end there, then they made their shabbat placemats...

And finally time for a wonderful "goûter" thanks to Sue and Fred. Thank you for opening up your home and for such a warm welcome ...

Our shabbat class

Shabbat is the best day of the week !

It is a day of rest, a day of play and day of no work !

When did shabbat begin. Some people believe it started at the beginning of the world, when God after making the world in 6 days rested on the seventh day.

It's one day human beings do not interfere with the world - we behave as if everything were perfect. The rules of shabbat takes getting used to, but after a while, you begin to look forward to having that special day of rest.

Shabbat begins with lighting two candles. They stand for the opposites in life : light and darkness, holy and not holy, work and rest.

The candles are usually lit by the woman, but anyone can do it. We light the candles before the blessing because once the prayer is said, shabbat has begun and fires may no longer be lit. Cover your eyes in order not to see the candles already lit and recite the blessing : Baruch atah adonai, eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kidushanu b'mitzvotav vitzivanu l'hadlik ner shel shabbat.

After the candles are lit, the kiddush, the blessing over the wine to proclaim the holiness of the day, is sung. Kiddush means 'holy'. It is said over wine, because "wine gladdens the heart" This blessing thanks God for the great delight of Shabbat, for the creation of the world, for freeing the Jews from slavery. After the blessing the cup is passed for everyone to sip from the wine.

Baruch atah adonai, eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei pri hagafen.

Baruch atah adonai, eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kidushanu b'mitzvotav v'ratzah vanu v'shabbat kodsho b'ahavah uvratzon hinhilanu, zikaron l'ma'aseh v'rehsheet. Ki hu yom t'hila l'mkra'eh kodesh zeher litzi'at mitzraim. Ki-vanu vaharta v'otanu kidashtah micol-ha-amim, v'shabbat kodsh'ha b'ahavah uv'ratzon hinhaltanu. Baruch atah adonai mikadesh hashabbat.

Then, after everyone sips the wine, the hallah a sweet egg bread (which we baked today) is uncovered for the blessing.

Barach atah adonai eloheinu melech ha-alom, hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz

Shabbat brings families together.

If we all spent one day a week free of pressure and routine, taking time to renew ourselves, celebrating the world's creation and the creative energy that gives life to the world, we might enjoy our lives more and remember how precious life is.

Hanukkah class fun !

Not only did the kids have a great sing along, learn about the Maccabees and the rededication of the temple, they also had lots of fun making candles and painting their menorahs...

checking to see if our handmade candles fit...

And even the older kids could not resist and got their fingers dirty...

Learning to light the menorah and practicing the blessings :

Thank you to Alex's dad for helping out