I’ve become increasingly interested in the history behind the foods that have stayed on the table for generations. In addition to the ever popular bagel, another icon of Jewish/Yiddish culture is challah. It is served at Jewish celebrations and sometimes at bakeries. Challah is more than just braided bread—it’s a reflection of tradition, faith, and survival. Challah is traditionally eaten on Shabbat and other Jewish holidays, and it’s often made with eggs, flour, sugar, and yeast, giving it that slightly sweet, rich texture. In the late 1400s Shabbos loaves were described as “challah” in a Jewish text. The original form of the Challah we know today was actually not the braided loaves we’re familiar with. The typical bread for Shabbat/Shabbos would have been round and flat. Furthermore, the bread wasn’t even called challah but actually “kikarim.” Sephardim and Ashkenazim used flatbread for their Shabbos loaves until the 15th century. The name comes from a biblical commandment that involves setting aside a portion of the dough as an offering. Furthermore, the braiding represents unity, peace, or the intertwining of the physical and spiritual. On Rosh Hashanah, the challah is often shaped into a circle instead of braided, to symbolize the cycle of the year and renewal. It is also called “berches” in Germany and was commonly eaten among the German-Jewish population prior to the Holocaust. What I found most meaningful was how something as simple as bread could carry so much spiritual and cultural weight. Challah is not just eaten; it’s blessed, shared, and used to mark the beginning of rest and reflection. That gave me a new appreciation for it, especially since I’ve been trying to learn more about the rituals that surrounded the Yiddish-speaking communities. What also surprised me is how common challah has become outside of Jewish spaces. It used to be sold in the jewish communities of New York City, It’s now sold in grocery stores and featured in cookbooks and Instagram reels. Just like the bagel, it has slowly gained mainstream popularity. In Germany especially, there’s been a growing interest in challah in recent years, both from Jewish and non-Jewish communities. Some bakeries have started offering it as a specialty item on Fridays, and a few use it as a way to acknowledge Jewish history that was almost erased. Seeing it become more mainstream is exciting so as to not forget important symbols of history and culture. Even as challah becomes more popular in modern breakfast menus or as trendy French toast, its roots are still meaningful. Learning its story reminded me how food can carry culture, memory, and belief across generations.
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