Spiritual Kneading Through The Jewish Months is Dahlia Abraham-Klein’s newest cookbook. In it, she features an evocative collection of challah recipes, Jewish spiritual insights, and Torah study as it relates to each Jewish month. The separation of Challah, in addition to baking challah, is a a woman’s mitzvah (commandment) and Rosh Chodesh, the first of each Jewish month, is traditionally a women’s holiday. In Spiritual Kneading, Dahlia focuses on women’s spiritual growth via the tradition of challah baking while meditating upon the Jewish theme of the month.
The book covers all twelve months of the Jewish year, with specific Torah text for each month. The book also features a specific challah that relates to the Torah theme for that month, such as a Spiral Challah with Apple and Silan for Tishrei, a Rainbow Shaped Challah for Cheshvan, a Cheese Loaf for Kislev and a Star of David Challah for Tevet. Dahlia believes that kneading is an action meditation and so she also includes a meditation guided through the kneading of the challah dough.
Spiritual Kneading is also the perfect book for a Rosh Chodesh group. Each chapter gives sources, ideas, and questions to be discussed by the group while the challah dough is rising. The purpose of baking challah in this particular way is to develop ones own personal spiritual growth within the context of a Rosh Chodesh group.
Here are two delicious recipes from Spiritual Kneading Through The Jewish Months cookbook:
In her Basic Challah Recipe with Dry Yeast Dahlia includes details on how to knead the dough as well as how to freeze the loaves to bake at a later date, which is extremely helpful for those new to challah baking. It also makes 8 loaves so you can make the full recipe and freeze the challahs for the upcoming weeks.
Her Pita (round pocket bread) recipe is the perfect recipe for the month of Nissan, for which it is is featured. The recipe yields 30 pitas, which is excellent if you are cooking for a crowd. You can also always freeze the pitas you don’t use up. The cooking time is quick (only 3-4 minutes for each batch) and so your pitas will be ready in no time.
OK – I posted my comments at each recipe – 3 in all.
Would love to have the book for my JCC preschool. What an inspiration for our kids and parents to help bake challah each week!
Do you have information on how to freeze challah dough before it is baked and at what point to do it? When I looked at the recipe it described how to store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours but not how to store the dough in the freezer.
This book sounds fascinating—it would be a wonderful addition to my challah and kosher cookbook collection.
Thanks strandjss would love for you to post the comments directly on the recipes themselves then tell us in these comments that you did it.
I love the idea of this book.
Spiritual Kneading looks like a must have for my Jewish cooking cookbook collection!
I would love to learn how to knead properly!
This sounds like an amazing book!
Challah baking is so therapeutic for me. Would love to see a whole wheat or multi grain challah recipe.
My third recipe to post is this Kugel recipe. I love this recipe because it does not have a complicated list of ingredients but that does not detract from the flavor and usefulness. I also love the use of spinach. Savory kugels are my favorite and this recipe is a great side dish.
http://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/spinach-noodle-kugel/
These Kugel Cups is the second recipe I’m sharing on this post. My grandkids love this recipe and the fact that they have their own individual little potato cupcake. I love the lacy effect the potato shreds make when they bake. http://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/potato-kugel-cups/
One of my favorite recipes at JOK is the Eggless Challah using flax seeds. This is my go-to Challah recipe. It makes a lot of dough and is so incredibly soft. I frequently top with a mixture of sesame, poppy, flax, and sunflower seeds mixed with granulated garlic.
I love the idea of this cookbook combining recipes with spiritual insight and the Jewish calendar. I would love to win this cookbook but even if I don’t, I know this one is going to wind up in my library. Thanks for the chance to win.
I really could use the skills and guidance of this book. Im not a good baker so it will really come in handy to make challot every friday instead of buying
Wonderful idea to tie in the spiritual aspect of challah baking. What a great way to elevate my Shabbat table and my home!
The spirituality of bread and its importance as the staff of life makes the idea of this book very interesting.
I’ve baked bread (and challah) for over 20 years. Making bread, kneading it by hand, is a spiritual matter. Would love to read what Dahlia Abraham-Klein contributes to this very appealing topic.
This is such a nice thing to have!
Would love to improve my shabbos challah and bring more spirit into my home
Looks like a great book.
Looks like an amazing book.
looks like a good one
pita looks delicious
Love baking challah!
I bake challa from a recipe learned at summer camp and it would be great to have new recipes.
Love to bake and cook. I’m always looking for new recipes.
Wow, what a great idea! I’d really live to take a peek into this book, as I love baking challah. Connecting this mitzvah with the themes of the months is so inspiring!
I bake every week for Shabbos and I love cookbooks. I have a few just on Challah. Would love to add one more.
looking forward to challah recipes. I have been baking challah for almost two years and sharing with neighbors. Home on Friday mornings, smells delicious and wonderful. A real passion. Always tweak the recipe just a bit, so anxious to see how you all are baking. enjoy
What a great way to know what is kneaded when making bread
I have never been able to make a Challah that was worth eating. I try and try. This might be my chance. Please!!!
I love baking challa.
I am looking for a new recipe which is not sweet and has less sugar or no sugar. I am looking forward to looking for this new book about challa in the book stores.
Looks cool. Would be nice to have another book to add to my collection
I love to make challot with my son for Shabbat. We love to find new ways to bake it.
There is no end to learning. There are some breads I can make to perfection, but I look forward to what I could learn from this book. I’ll bet there is nothing like a home made pita
This sounds like the best book to help mentoring those who want to learn to bake challot and to add a spiritual component as well. Can’t wait to see it.
I finally realized that baking hallah is often just as easy as buying it. Hopefully Spiritual Kneading will have recipes using ingredients by weight.
Some weeks I bake bread every day. I can always use more recipes and ideas.
I reviewed machos for an extra entry! They are delicious!
This looks so fun! I love the title!
This books looks incredible
Perfect time now, right after Pesach, for this special cookbook. Can’t wait to check it out!
That’s looks like a perfect idea for a cookbook!
i’m looking forward to making pitas for the first time.
Looks so interesting and informative
I made the French Toast Matzo with Dill Cream Cheese recipe and used fresh dill from my next door neighbors garden. It was easy to make and tasted so good. Nice break from the same old Passover recipes.
I have always wanted to learn to bake challah. My grandmother who passed away taught me to bake rugelach, mandel bread and other items but never challah.
This cookbook looks amazing!!!!!!
I would love more tips for baking challah and other bread!