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Did you know that challah originates from Jewish culture? Jews eat challah during Shabbat – an important holiday that begins every Friday at sunset.
o zachodzie słońca. o zachodzie słońca. o zachodzie słońca. 

Chet ח for Challah (חַלָּה)
Did you know that challah originates from Jewish culture? Jews eat challah during Shabbat – an important holiday that begins every Friday at sunset. The meal begins with a blessing over two challahs, often sprinkled with salt, which are then shared among the householders.
Polish challah is sweet, with a crumble topping, while the one for Shabbat is more savory.

Learn the recipe for challah!
Dough ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
7 large egg yolks (set aside the whites)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2–3 tablespoons toasted sesame or poppy seedsLet’s make the dough!
In a small bowl, mix the yeast with warm water. You can do this using a mixer, a hand blender, or a fork. Add a large pinch of sugar. Mix until the yeast dissolves. Set aside for about 10 minutes until the yeast is activated, forming a foamy layer.
In a large bowl, mix flour, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and oil. If you don't have a mixer, use a wooden spoon. Add the yeast mixture to the dough and mix until it becomes too difficult to stir.

Kneading
Transfer the dough from the bowl to a floured surface. Knead by hand for 10 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add a small amount of flour and continue kneading until the dough is soft and smooth. Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and store in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.

Braiding the dough
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal parts, then roll each piece into a sausage shape about 20 cm long. Braid the three sausages together like hair; pinch both ends together to finish the braid.Place the braided loaf on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let it rest in a warm place for another 30-45 minutes, allowing the dough to rise again.

Baking
Preheat the oven to 190°C or 374°F. Generously brush the loaf with about 2-3 tablespoons of egg whites. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the challah cool before slicing.

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ח (Chet) corresponds to the number 8.
Symbolic meaning: life, new beginning, sin.

Zajin ז jak Zachor (זכור)
Zachor oznacza “pamięć” lub “pamiętaj.” Pamięć jest ważna dla każdego narodu. Dla narodu żydowskiego, który przez wieki nie miał swojego miejsca na ziemi, pamięć ma znaczenie szczególne. Zwłaszcza po doświadczeniach II wojny światowej i holokaustu, kiedy III Rzesza ustanowiła sobie za cel, by naród żydowski zniknął na zawsze.Stworzono specjalne obozy koncentracyjne, w których zabijano Żydów lub skazywano na morderczą pracę. Ta praca często kończyła się śmiercią. Słowo „Zachor” umieszcza się często na opaskach, jakie Ocalali po Holokauście dostają podczas obchodów Dni Pamięci.Historie i doświadczenia tych osób są tak straszne, że nie będziemy ich Tobie opowiadać, możesz znaleźć je tu: relacje ocalalych. Pamięć Ocalałych ma największą wartość na świecie. 
– Jaką? – zapytasz… ich wspomnienia są mieczem, który broni nas przed powtórzeniem tej tragedii. Poznanie historii osoby, która doświadczyła prawdziwego piekła na ziemi, może sprawić, że żadna osoba nie będzie chciała drugiej zgotować takiego losu.
W to wierzymy.

Symbolism:
Literze hebrajskiej ז (Zajin) odpowiada cyfra 7.
Znaczenie symboliczne: miecz, całość, perfekcja

He ה for Hamantaschen, (המן־טאַשן) – Yiddish. Hamantaschen are filled cookies shaped like triangles. Their history refers to the name of Haman, the vizier at the court of King Ahasuerus of Persia. Haman, in the name of personal revenge, wanted to murder all the Jews in the kingdom. His plans were spoiled by the king's wife, Esther, who was Jewish. The cookies were also called “Haman's ears” referring to medieval humiliating punishments inflicted on convicted criminals. The cookies are baked during the joyful holiday of Purim. There are many kinds of Hamantaschen, differing in both filling and dough.

Recipe for Hamantaschen with poppy seed filling.
Ingredients:
100 grams sugar
180 grams butter
2 eggs
300 grams flower
1 fl oz water
120 grams poppy seeds
3 1/2 fl oz milk
60 grams sugar
almond extract

Preparation: 
1. First, the poppy seeds!
At the very beginning we need to prepare the poppy seeds. Ideally in the evening, the day before baking the cookies. Pour the poppy seeds into a pot, add milk, and bring to a boil. Then set aside for about 10 hours.

2. The next day, the dough for the cookies!
Mix the butter with the sugar until smooth. You can do this with a fork or a mixer.
Now add one egg and continue mixing.
Add the flour, then the water, and knead the dough. When the ingredients are nicely combined, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Grinding the poppy seeds!
Now we’ll make the poppy seed filling. Pour the poppy seeds into a strainer and press to drain the water. Then, put them into a bowl, add sugar and almond extract. Blend them into a smooth paste. Add an egg and blend again.

Shaping the ears!
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350ºF).
Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out. The dough should be about 3 millimeters thick.

• Now take a glass and cut out circles.
• Place about half a teaspoon of poppy seed filling in the center of each circle
• Grab the edges of the dough and fold them inward to form triangles.

Put parchment paper on a baking sheet and place the cookies. Then, put them in the oven for 20 minutes. Take them out when they are nicely browned.

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ה – (He) corresponds to the number 5.
Symbolic meaning: window, infinity.

Brit milah (ברית־מילה), the ritual of circumcision.
Why do Jews circumcise newborn boys? Circumcision is the procedure of removing the foreskin. In Jewish culture, this usually takes place on the eighth day after a boy's birth. During circumcision, the child's name is publicly pronounced for the first time. Until the eighth day after birth, the child has no name. The ritual of circumcision is of paramount importance in Judaism. It is the first commandment that God gave to Abraham. It symbolizes the covenant with God. It is regarded as the “perfect” completion of the human body, an act of joint effort between God and man. God created the body, and man finishes His work here on Earth. This demonstrates that spiritual perfection can be achieved through human effort.

• What religious rituals that connect humans with God do you know?
• What rituals that signify a new stage in a person's life do you know?

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ב (Bet) corresponds to the number 2.
Symbolic meaning: house, community.

Zayin ז for Zachor (זכור)
Zachor means “remembrance” or “to remember.” Remembrance is important for every nation.

Zrób dreidla i zagraj!
Zasady gry:
1. Każdy z graczy przystępuje do gry z określoną liczbą cukierków, czekoladek lub innych fantów.
2. Wszyscy gracze dają do „banku” jeden fant.
3. Teraz, po kolei kręcicie bączkiem i zabieracie z banku lub wpłacacie do niego swoje monety w zależności od tego, która litera ukaże się po zatrzymaniu bączka.

• nun ( נ), gracz nic nie wygrywa,
• gimel ( ג) – bierze wszystko,
• he(ה) – bierze połowę
• szin ( ש) lub pe ( פ) – gracz dodaje do „banku” jedną monetę

Symbolism:
Literze hebrajskiej ד – (Dalet) odpowiada cyfra 4.
Znaczenie symboliczne: drzwi, droga.

Vav ו for Queen Vashti (וַשְׁתִּי)

Queen Vashti – an independent woman. Queen Vashti was the great-granddaughter of King Nebuchadnezzar – the most powerful and longest-reigning monarch in the Neo-Babylonian Empire. She married the powerful Persian ruler Ahasuerus, whose kingdom extended from India to Ethiopia. 

The king hosted magnificent banquets. According to tradition, men and women feasted separately. During one of these feasts, the king desired to see his beautiful wife naked and show her off to the assembled guests.

However, she refused to comply with her husband's command. She had hosted her own banquet for the women and did not want to leave it. Despite his unlimited power, the king could not break his wife's strong will. The matter was so serious that the ruler convened a council of wise men. After deliberations, the king banished Vashti and stripped her of her royal dignity. 

• Do you know other women who had to pay a high price for their independence?
  Podpowiedź:
  J_ _n_ _  D’_ r _
  R_sa  _ ar_ _
  M_r_a  S__o_o_ _ka-C_r_e
  F_i_a  K_h_o
• Do you think that if Vashti had wanted to do the same – that is, to show her naked husband to her friends – the king would have agreed?

Symbolism:
The Hebrew letter ו (Vav) corresponds to the number 6.
Symbolic meaning: hook, humanity.