Baking Bread
have benefited from a variety of
Shabbat aids produced and dis-
tributed by JEFF. According to
JEFF director Sue Stettner, the
materials have been given to thou-
sands of families in the Detroit
metropolitan area. Orders for cer-
tain materials have come in. from
around the country and Canada.
Flip charts complete with
JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER
recipes and prayers have been giv-
en to single parent families; a Russ-
ian version was distributed to new fri][ wenty-one-month-old Lexie and
her mother Wendy Strip-
Americans who recently emigrated
Sittsamer reserve two Friday
from Russia. The Shabbat in a Box
mornings every month for baking
activity that the Chutzes took part
"wallah."
in has been repeated at several
That's challah for those of us who
synagogue and temple programs.
are older.
Havdalah kits, similar to the
Wallah is one of the first words
Shabbat ensembles, are a newer
Lexie uttered, and she loves to
product of JEFF. Catering to the
. help her mother make their Sab-
Saturday night ritual
bath bread.
that marks the end of
On the first and third Friday
Shabbat and the begin-
of each month, Ms. Strip-
ning of a new week, the
Sittsamer and Lexie, of Farm-
Opposite top: Karen
kits contain a candle,
ington Hills, participate in a
material to make a spice
and Jacob Brown pre-
challah-baking program at the
box, stories, recipes and
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
a
cassette
tape
to
teach
pare Shabbat dinner
B'nai Israel Parenting Center
the melodies of Hav-
in West Bloomfield.
dalah.
for Jinx.
They would go every week,
"We sell them through
but the program is offered only
religious schools, and
twice a month. To compensate,
some rabbis give them to
they braid an extra loaf and
Opposite below
couples who are getting
freeze the dough for the follow-
married and to people
Ben and Evie help
ing week.
who are considering con-
It only takes a few minutes
version,"
Ms.
Stettner
Zack with his Shabbat
for the mother-daughter duo to
said. "They are very pop-
roll the dough — Lexie's fa-
ular."
in a Box.
vorite part — and braid the
Although Zack Chutz
pieces. Raisins are also an op-
is now 9 and the Shabbat
tion but Lexie likes to eat them
kit has not made as
while her mother braids. The
many appearances as it
baking
is done at home once the
did in the past, the Chutzes have
dough has had a chance to rise.
logged a lot of Friday night obser-
After a light coating of egg and
a sprinkling of sesame seeds,
the challah is ready for the
oven.
The scent Right: Lexie
of freshly
baked bread
and Wendy
permeates
the house on
with the
Friday where,
finished
by midday,
the kitchen
vances on the set that was made
dough.
table is set
that one Sunday afternoon.
and the
Every week for the past several
tzedakah box,
years, Debbie Chutz would set the
candlestick holders, kiddush
family table with a tablecloth, two
cup and challah covers have all
loaves of fresh challah, a cup of
been laid out.
wine and candlesticks. And every
"A lot of what makes bring-
week, young Zack would pull out
ing in the Sabbath special is
his Shabbat items as his brother
our preparation," Ms. Strip-
Ben, sister Evie and father Jeff
Sittsamer said. "We want Lexie to look for-
would gather in the kitchen.
ward to the traditions of the Sabbath and
After the family would say the
the happiness and quiet time we associate
traditional prayers, they would also
with it."
recite the ones Zack had written
Right before Friday night dinner, Lexie
during that workshop.
runs to the drawer where her father, Mur-
"May Cod ble -is you with peace
ray Sittsamer, keeps his yarmulkes. It's her
and love and may you be patient
job to help pick one out for her dad. Then
with others," they would say in uni-
Lexie goes to her playroom to find her Queen
son. "May the Shabbat of love fill
Shabbos, a stuffed toy in the shape of a can-
you with warm memories." 0
A mother-daughter tradition of making chal-
lah enhances a family's Shabbat celebration.
PHOTO BY BILL HANSEN
die . Part of the family tradition includes
putting money in the tzedakah box before
lighting the candles.
To the delight of her parents, Lexie re-
cently covered her eyes and said, "Candles,
candles."
"She's got the ritual objects down and she
gets excited when it's time to light candles,"
Ms. Stripp-Sittsamer said.
The Sittsamers place their hands on
The kit was used
for hundreds of
Friday night
observances.
Lexie's head and recite the Birkhot HaMish-
paha, a prayer which asks God to "make you
like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah."
It's a tradition Lexie's parents started on
her first Shabbat when she was six days old.
"As a child, I had a friend whose parents
always blessed her," Ms. Stripp-Sittsamer
said. "I always thought it was so special and
I knew once I had a child, I would bless him
or her." O