Food is an integral part of the Jewish religion. If you walk into a Jewish household during Hanukkah, Passover or Rosh Hashana, without fail, you’re going to be greeted with the strong, beautiful smells of latkes, matzo soup and honey cakes.
It’s one of the best smells in the world, and for guests who have the honor of being invited for one of these holiday celebrations, it certainly builds up the excitement that they are about to be treated to something special.
That is, until they walk into the kitchen in question and find it laid out… well, like any other kitchen.
We’ve all had that moment. When we spend hours on creating a beautiful meal for a number of guests, only to lay it on a kitchen table like it’s a bowl of porridge in the morning.
There are plenty of ways to change this, but not all of them can give you the spark you’re looking for. What you need is creativity and imagination. Something that makes your kitchen table really pop and fall in line with all the Jewish holidays and meals that will be presented upon it.
Here’s five ideas that can create a Jewish kitchen table you fall in love with:
Lighting Is The Key
First off, the problem you might be having with your kitchen is that it’s stark white. Due to most people having a modern kitchen, there is a tendency for the eating space to feel dry, simple and harsh. This has a lot to do with the lighting.
A white kitchen might look good, but it doesn’t exactly scream romantic. You need a way to not only light the table space efficiently, but beautifully too. Holiday ornaments such as shabbat candlesticks can light up the kitchen space in a professional, gorgeous way whilst also being true to your Jewish faith.
Accompaniments Are Key
Plate, check. Cutlery, check. Candles, check. What are you left with? A table which is still pretty plain. Sure, you’ve got the essentials – plus candlesticks – but there’s so much more you can do to your table to make it pop.
These include simple things like shakers, bread baskets for the challah, and even seasoning and honey pots that are specific to the dish you are serving – such as the quintessentially Jewish honey cake. Details like this will help your table to shine and they will always be appreciated by guests too.
Get Creative With The Scripture
Never forget why exactly you are all gathered together to celebrate. The Jewish holidays are an opportunity to look back at Jewish history, remember and commemorate ancestors and thank God for his protection. In this way, it’s a good idea to include the scripture on your tabletop in some way.
This can include creating your own “scripture napkin holder”, which is essentially a wooden ring with particularly meaningful phrases painted onto it. Or perhaps small parchments with prayers to recite before each dish is served. Get creative with it and choose something that gets every guest involved and smiling when they go to sit down.
