There are several customs observed before Shabbat begins:
- Preparation — planning the evening, buying groceries, setting the menu.
- House cleaning — in honor of Shabbat.
- Personal grooming — not only bathing and combing hair but also trimming if needed.
- Special clothing — it’s customary to dress especially well; very observant families even have “Shabbat clothes” worn only on this day.
- Cooking — all food is prepared in advance.
Shabbat dinner menu
Gefilte Fish
- 1 kg fish fillet (from 2–3 varieties such as pike, carp)
- 2 eggs, 120 ml cold water
- 2–3 tbsp matzo meal (or flour)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- sea salt
- black pepper
- a little cinnamon
- 2–3 onions
- 3 carrots
- fish broth (optional).
Salt the fillet and chill for 1–2 hours. Rinse, then grind in a blender or meat grinder. Mix with eggs, gradually add water, flour, sugar, and spices, blend again, and chill. Shape into balls and simmer for about 1 hour in water or fish broth with carrots, onions, cinnamon, and sugar. Serve warm or cold with beetroot and horseradish.
Cholent (Hamin)
- marrow bones
- 2 cups soaked beans
- 1–1.5 kg beef (or 1 kg beef plus 3 chicken legs)
- 10 potatoes
- 10 prunes
- 3 peeled onions.
Layer ingredients in a large pot Cover with water, salt generously, add pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with a lid and foil (or without if using a clay pot/cast-iron pot). Cook on very low heat for 24 hours. Four hours before serving, add 6–7 hard-boiled eggs.
Shabbat Salad
Seasonal mix, traditionally salad greens with pomegranate seeds.
Wine
Traditionally sweet, served with the meal.
Shabbat dinner menu
Gefilte Fish
- 1 kg fish fillet (from 2–3 varieties such as pike, carp)
- 2 eggs, 120 ml cold water
- 2–3 tbsp matzo meal (or flour)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- sea salt
- black pepper
- a little cinnamon
- 2–3 onions
- 3 carrots
- fish broth (optional).
Salt the fillet and chill for 1–2 hours. Rinse, then grind in a blender or meat grinder. Mix with eggs, gradually add water, flour, sugar, and spices, blend again, and chill. Shape into balls and simmer for about 1 hour in water or fish broth with carrots, onions, cinnamon, and sugar. Serve warm or cold with beetroot and horseradish.
Cholent (Hamin)
- marrow bones
- 2 cups soaked beans
- 1–1.5 kg beef (or 1 kg beef plus 3 chicken legs)
- 10 potatoes
- 10 prunes
- 3 peeled onions.
Layer ingredients in a large pot Cover with water, salt generously, add pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with a lid and foil (or without if using a clay pot/cast-iron pot). Cook on very low heat for 24 hours. Four hours before serving, add 6–7 hard-boiled eggs.
Shabbat Salad
Seasonal mix, traditionally salad greens with pomegranate seeds.
Wine
Traditionally sweet, served with the meal.
