Our Bible study group gathers for a final Shabbat meal with Bev before our last study together, Friday, May 16, 2008. From left, clockwise (Amy, Bev, Mai, Judith, one of the Paez kids, Carol, Riki, Ken, Crystal, Jessica, "Little Sister", and Babs).
For her last Friday night in Saipan, May 16, Bev requested that our Bible study group have a special meal together reflecting the Jewish tradition. So we all researched various types of Jewish cuisine and Judith and Mai studied up on some of the traditional ways of welcoming the Sabbath in the Jewish faith.
The food was fantastic: a delicious Mediterranean stew, sweet noodles, potatoe pancakes, an eggplant dish, hummus and pita bread, homemade Challah bread, and lots of pure grape juice. We ate so much that by the time it was time for our Bible study (we've been studying the 28 fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church every Friday night all school year) half our group was falling asleep! It wasn't much of a study but the fellowship and food still made for a memorable and special evening.
This blog and these photos are mainly for my friend "Yolland", one of my online aquaintances over at Interference.com who provided me with half a dozen or so mouthwatering recipes reflecting her unique Sephardic Jewish heritage-- melding the flavors of the southern U.S. where she was raised and Mediterranean tastes of her family background. Unfortunately I wasn't able to use any of those recipes, as the power went off that Friday afternoon in the two hours prior to the meal and I was unable to print them off my computer. Still I thought she'd enjoy some photos of some "Jewish-like" Christians celebrating the arrival of another precious Sabbath day.
Hope you enjoy, "Yolland" and thanks again for the recipes. I will definitely make them all eventually and report to you how they turned out!
Babs about to light the Sabbath candles.
Judith reads a traditional Sabbath blessing.
Mai reads a blessing for the bread (which she made from scratch!)
Mai breaks the bread.
3 comments:
Mai did a lovely job with the challah--not sure if this was her first time braiding dough or not, but I know my first try sure didn't look that good!
And yeah, food coma following the Friday night and/or Saturday noon meal is a common problem ;) In the old days it used to be standard to have family naptime after Saturday lunch. Actually, what with latkes, noodle kugel, challah and grape juice all at one sitting, I'm impressed everyone made it up from the table!
Very yummy-sounding meal...glad to hear it all worked out despite the "Brokedown Sabbath" power supply!
I do believe that was Mai's first try at the challah. Impressive, huh! And it tasted every bit as good as it looked.
lol! about the food coma. . .we have the same exact experience on Sabbath afternoons. I used to hate it as a kid--all the adults would head in for a nap and we kids would be left bored to tears (since there was no TV allowed on Sabbath). Of course, now as an adult both Babs and I love a postmeal Sabbath afternoon nap--though she prefers getting into bed while I prefer to stretch out on the couch.
Adventists even have their little jokes about that Sabbath afternoon nap. We refer to "lay activities" which is a pun on the kind of Sabbath afternoon missionary work and "witnessing" you're supposed to be doin. (Ministerial work done by the laity). Or we talk about "taking a hike to the springs" (the BEDsprings as opposed to an actual place with water--hiking is another common Sabbath afternoon activity).
I'm glad we got to have our Jewish meal together before Bev left! It was lots of fun.....and such great food!
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