Sabbath Dinner Essays - Jewish Culture, Human Behavior, Shabbat

Sabbath Dinner The Israeli family is not an ordinary American family no matter how Americanized the kids feel. In most American families, with a teenager involved a Friday night is a detached night from the family. You ask just about any teenager what they do on a Friday night and they will say, "Party" or "Hang out with friends". On the other hand the family-dinner that my parents and I went to was at our friend's house and like most Israeli families they to spend Friday nights as a family; no one leaves the house until dinner is over. (Unless they go to a synagogue together and then come home to have dinner, or go to a friend's house together) Dinner is a whole separate ritual, there are certain things that have to be on the table, certain things they say and sing, before the meal, and the way that it is considered a special family gathering day. This really amazes me, because my family has never done anything like that before. The Shabbat dinner started at 5:30 PM, when we got there, they greeted us, and we chitchatted for a while, and then sat down at the table. The table had a beautiful white tablecloth on it, and antique plates at each seating spot, and really shiny silverware. Each person had one glass filled a little with grape wine, Sosnick Company. The really young children had grape juice, but my brother (the 13-yr. old) had the wine. That's because he, in the Jewish religion is already a man. Under each plate there was a napkin on the right side, and a book "The Shabbat Seder", with a colorful picture of a metal wineglass, 2 hallot (Braided Bread), covered, and 2 candles lit. On the table that we were sitting at each person had a metal wineglass, and there were 2 hallot covered closer to the head of the table on the side that the male sat at. There were 2 candles closer to the other head of the table, where the woman sat. Each male had a Kipa on his head. (It was a hat big enough to cover a bald spot) I asked what that was for and the head of the family replied. "That is so we are not being impolite to the lord" I wasn't really sure how covering one's head had anything to do with politeness but I didn't ask any more. The service started with the woman lighting the candles, and saying a prayer over them; thank you for giving us light. Then the man said a family blessing, and then he stood up and said the Mourner's Kiddush. I didn't want to ask if he was mourning or not, so I just sat quietly. After which he said the prayer over the wine, and everyone took a sip. He then continued with a prayer/song M'kadesh ha-Shabbat, basically thanking the lord for giving us everything we have now and that we are able to celebrate this day like this (with food on the table, a roof over our heads, etc.). Then we all got up and went to wash our hands. There was a cup standing by the sink, and each person did 3 pours per hand while mumbling something, and went back to the table. When we got to the table everyone was silent, and still until, everyone sat down, the father stood up and made a blessing over the bread. Then you heard the movement in the seats, as each person reached for the bread, breaking off a little piece from the braided roll of bread. Then we started singing songs, (Because everyone was singing them,). We sang 2 songs, which sounded really fun, and up beat "Hinei Mah Tov" and "Shabbat Shalom". After which everyone kissed each other as they said "Shabbat Shalom". Then the lady of the house went into the kitchen and started bringing out plates of chicken soup and matzo balls. It was mysterious for me why only the father said the prayer and at the end of each prayer everyone said "amen", so I asked. The man of the house said that it means, "so be it," I guess they are saying that they agree with what ever the prayer says. Then, while he was answering my question the lady of the house brought everyone a plate with soup, and we began to eat. While eating, everyone took turns saying how their day went, what they accomplished that day, and