Sabbath bread is called Challah because it is an offering. In the Old Temple, twelve loaves were offered daily in the representation of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Later, during the Middle Ages in Europe, for Shabbat, some rabbis continued to bless twelve pieces and others instead, used to bless only two in the representation of the portions of the Manna.

We went into Zomick’s Challah bakery to find out more interesting facts about the Challah bread, which we will share in this post.

Challah of Shabbat

The owner of Zomick’s, and the creator of the delicious Zomick’s Challah bread, shared with us a fundamental aspect in the elaboration of the Shabbat Challot. This refers to the ritual of the offering in the ancient Temple. It consists of extracting and removing a small piece of the dough, which represents the offering made by the Priests.

Shabbat bread can be made in different forms. Depending on the culture from which they come, they can be rounded, square, flattened, or spiral-shaped. Two slices of bread, two small rolls, two matzot (unleavened bread), two pieces of sponge cake or sweet cake, two braided loaves, or bread with double braid can also be used for the blessing. The smallest piece that is blessed and consumed has the size of an olive and the default is the size of an egg.

From a historical point of view, the incorporation of braided loaves is not recent. During the Modern Age (sixteenth century, according to writings of Rabbi Kirchan) the Jewish communities of Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine incorporated the braided loaves into the Shabbat table. This was a festive format in the medieval German bakery. The tradition of braids has been transplanted into the Sephardic world after the Second World War.

We asked the Zomick’s Challah bakers: Why is it habituate to make braided Challah?

“There are several explanations for that. For some, each of the strands of a braid represents the greatest virtues of Judaism (goodness, justice, truth). For other Torah scholars, braided Challah has six ends because there are six days of the week. For several researchers and scholars of Judaism, the braided bread is always kneaded and blessed by the women of the family. This symbolizes the desires of fertility and interlacing of family ties” – says Zomick’s chief baker, who has an extended portfolio of baked goods.

In the Talmud (Berachot 61a) 1 it is explained that when the Eternal created Eve from a bone of Adam. Before presenting it to Adam to join her, he twisted his hair. Therefore, since the final touch of Eve’s beauty, was her braids, it is appropriate that whoever prepares the Challot, apply that same touch of beauty to the Sabbath Challot.

In 2015, Zomick’s Challah bread has become one of the 5 best Challah bread in New York. You can find the unique Zomick’s Challah recipe here.

For more delicious recipes from Zomick’s, visit their website.

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Zomick’s is a family-owned kosher bakery located in Inwood, New York City. Their mission is to offer tasty kosher goods that benefit the community.

Throughout the 50 years of their existence, Zomick’s has introduced a lot of new culinary treats and creative kosher products and recipes in order to satisfy the ever increasing demand. But they have also made sure to keep their traditional taste and authentic products that have been perfected while passing down from one generation to another.

Zomick’s is constantly looking to explore creative ideas and products that are practical yet innovative. Al of the products used in Zomick’s are approved and certified by the New York City Rabbinical Council and are fully certified. Although Zomick’s is best known for making the tastiest challah bread, the bakery also offers a wide range of baked goods like knishes, cakes, cookies, pies, loaves as well as authentic Jewish-style and European pastries and delightful desserts. The skillful bakers and its staff are always working on new and exciting ideas to enhance the Jewish home.

Zomick’s already has a steady stream of customers and has been selling out its baked good each day ever since their opening back in 1966. Every day lots of bread and pastries, of both the sweet and savory variety such as various challah, pita, buns, sambusak, bagels, puff pastry, babka, rugelach, sufganiyot, and more come out fresh from Zomick’s oven.

Given the recent kosher demand grows, it seems like the global kosher market isn’t slowing down anytime soon. The rising consumption of cakes and pastries and the various health benefits associated with this cuisine are also indicators of the increased popularity in Northern America and Europe. Thank’s to their rich experience, Zomick’s  has mastered how to split the focus between indulgent and healthy products.

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This kosher bakery with a full catering service has been serving the local Jewish community since 1966. For more than half a century it’s been offering gourmet kosher products. With magical flavors from all around the world, including the traditional Zomick’s Challah recipe, the products of the bakery are skillfully handcrafted and beautifully presented. Zomick’s professional staff is known for their close attention to detail and for providing delicious fresh cuisine, served in a cozy, traditional atmosphere.

Zomick’s Origin

But this bakery hasn’t always been as sophisticated as it is today. Back in the days when it first opened, its initial goal was to make kosher food, since there was a real need for that.

Over time, New York City, especially the Brooklyn area became the most Jewish-settled one, and the demand for kosher-certified products increased vigorously. In order to meet the growing demand for kosher foods, Zomick’s started providing a wide variety of kosher-based products. These were challah bread, bagels, muffins, knishes and cookies, loaves, pies, and other baked goods.

Along with the high demand for kosher cutleries and the growth of the global kosher food market, consumer trends for allergen-free, healthy, and unique food products also contributed to Zomick’s bakery expansion.

US Kosher Food Market

The highest growth in the global kosher food market was witnessed in North America. Of course, New York City was the main driving force.

Zomick’s, as well as a few other kosher bakeries, already had a loyal customer base. But as they were experiencing high demand due to increased spending by consumers in this region, they decided to expand their offering and incorporate more kosher products.

Today, Zomick’s is one of the leaders in the kosher bakery business in the New York area, supplying customers with the highest quality artisan baked goods and prepared food products. All the products are made accordingly to the kashruth Jewish dietary laws. Also, the bakery is certified by the New York City Rabbinical Council. Zomick’s authentic, Jewish-style, and European bread, as well as delightful desserts, have been a part of their family for many generations.

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