Blog : Ma nouvelle vie en Israel

The word ?challah' once meant the portion of bread that was tossed into the oven as an offering in memory of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Today, challah refers to the particular bread (or lechem) we eat on the Sabbath or holidays. Regular challahs are braided into a long loaf. For Rosh Hashanah, and for each new month, however, the challah is shaped into a circle, symbolizing the cycle of life.

Through the years I have gathered an array of challah recipes from bakers I have visited around the world. Some, like Yemenite Jews, make floppy flat rounds, often fried in a large frying pan, or breads like kubbanah orjahnoun that are slow-baked overnight and served on the Sabbath morning. Others, like the Moroccan Jews, add sesame and anise seeds to theirs and sometimes bake them in a tabun oven'.

see more and for Video: A round loaf of bread is a traditional part of a menu for the Jewish New Year, but you should still braid the dough follows link:

http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/142314/joan-nathan-ultimate-challah'