Definition

Noun: 1. A type of bread, rich in eggs and traditionally leavened with yeast, that is central to Jewish cuisine and rituals. It is often baked as a braided loaf and has a distinctive golden-brown crust, typically achieved by glazing with egg wash before baking.

Examples

• We bought a fresh challah from the bakery for Friday night dinner.
• She carefully braided the dough to make the challah.
• The sweet, soft texture of the challah is perfect for sopping up sauce.
• A key part of the Shabbat meal is blessing the challah.

Advanced Usage

• "Take challah" (Hafrashat Challah): This refers to the Jewish mitzvah (commandment) of separating a small portion of the bread dough before baking it, as an offering. This ritual is often performed when baking a large quantity of dough.
  • Before baking the bread for the holiday, she performed the mitzvah of taking challah.

Variants and Related Words

• Hallah: An alternate spelling of the same word.
• Challah bread: A compound term sometimes used for clarity, though "challah" alone is sufficient.
• Shabbat bread: A descriptive term highlighting its primary ceremonial use.

Synonyms

• Egg bread: A descriptive synonym focusing on a key ingredient.
• Braided bread: A descriptive synonym focusing on its common form.
• Jewish ceremonial bread: A descriptive synonym focusing on its cultural and religious context.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Breaking bread over challah: This phrase emphasizes the communal and peaceful act of sharing a meal, using challah as a symbolic centerpiece.
  • Despite their differences, the families enjoyed breaking bread over challah together.

Noun

1. (Judaism) a loaf of white bread containing eggs and leavened with yeast; often formed into braided loaves and glazed with eggs before baking