"challah" - Word of the Day from the OED

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challah, n.

ADDITIONS SERIES 1997

(xl, xal)  Also challa, halla, and varr. Pl. challas, chalot(h). [ad. Heb. allh a form of bread, prob. f. Heb. ll hollow, pierce (perh. a reference to its original form).] 

    A loaf of white leavened bread, often plaited in form, traditionally baked to celebrate the Jewish Sabbath.

[c1782 D. LEVI Succinct Acct. Rites, & Ceremonies, of Jews 9 They must also spread on the table, a clean tablecloath, and set two loaves upon it; which loaves are baked on the Friday, and are called in Hebrew..Cholith.] 1937 ‘BALABUSTA’ Prize Kosher Recipe Bk. 2 (caption) Challah. 1951 L. W. LEONARD Jewish Cookery v. 26 It is customary to place two challas under a special napkin... The two loaves are symbolic of the ‘two portions of manna’ which fell for the Sabbath. 1988 Jerusalem Post 7 Oct. (‘In Jerusalem’ Suppl.) 2/2 Both bombs were hidden in halla loaves. One of the owners of the store in the Jewish Quarter removed the bread from the store after a worker remarked that it seemed unusually heavy. 1992 Jewish Chron. 7 Feb. 11/3 The shop is stocking a range of pre-packed kosher foods, as well as bagels and chalot.

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