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For Jewish people the world over, a special holiday season began with Rosh Hashana—the Jewish new year—on Sept. 27 and continued through Yom Kippur—the "day of atonement"—on Oct. 6. Those 10 days—part of the month of Tishrei—are a time for reflection and prayer, repentance and forgiveness. But the month also is a time for rejoicing and what better way, celebrants point out, than to eat sweet things.
Elizabeth Klein of San Jose is a teacher who practices Orthodox Judaism. She says the food eaten during the season carries with it lots of symbolism, so it becomes an important part of a very serious celebration.
Traditional challah, a yellow yeast bread, is braided and shaped into a round, which symbolizes the full circle of the year. Rich with eggs, it has a light, airy texture that allows it to be easily twisted and molded. Since this is a season of sweetness, challah is baked with raisins, dates or other fruits and, when eaten, is dipped along with slices of apples into honey, further symbolizing hopes for a sweet new year. It also is dipped into pomegranates, the fruit with a leathery skin that opens to compartments filled with sweet-tart seeds. "This symbolizes our hope for the new year—that our good deeds are as numerous as seeds," Klein explains.
Until early this year, Jewish women across several counties in the Bay Area made their challah at home. Now many of them are traveling to Los Gatos and Mama's Bakery on N. Santa Cruz Avenue to buy the bread at what is the only kosher bakery in the greater San Jose area. Mama's baker and owner Ali Abraham Shemirani has been working overtime to supply the demand for symbolic foods placed upon him by families and congregations throughout the area.
"Jewish holidays are for everyone—orthodox, conservative or reformed—whether they follow [Judaism] closely and literally or not," reflects Klein. The reasons for celebrating are quite simple, she says with a chuckle. "They tried to kill us. They didn't. Let's eat." Meals consist of sweet things like carrots cooked with sweet potatoes.
Besides challah, Shemirani is baking honey cakes, international cookies, cakes and pastries in honor of the season. Among the cookies, rugalach are bite-sized and crescent-shaped. They can have several fillings—including raisins and other fruits, nuts, poppy-seed paste or jam—usually wrapped in a rich, cream-cheese dough twisted in a cylinder.
Shemirani's small bakery occupies about 150 square feet in a mini-mall across from Safeway. It was certified "kosher" by the Vaad Hakashrus (Northern California Kosher Association) after an extensive scrutiny by 12 rabbis representing congregations from Oakland to Monterey. Kosher goods must be prepared according to Jewish biblical laws that designate which foods are "healthful" and how they may be combined. Because of their high quality and wholesomeness, the foods have gained popularity among groups beyond the Jewish community.
Yom Kippur is the most important holy day in the Jewish religion. During this time the worshiper prays for forgiveness for all sins of all men. As the sun begins to set the night before Yom Kippur, families gather for a festive meal. Then fasting begins. "After 26 hours, we 'break fast,' " notes Klein, adding that there is a surge of energy and lots of hugging. "Surprisingly, food is appreciated so much in little bits."
Mama's Bakery, located at 473 N. Santa Cruz Ave. in Los Gatos, is open Monday through Wednesday, 8 a.m.7 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m.8 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.4 p.m., and Sunday 8 a.m.5 p.m. It is closed on Saturday. Call 408.395.5254.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad