Inside Avishag Rave's Shabbat: Family Traditions, Gluten-Free Feasts, and the Joy of Sacred Rest

What does Shabbat mean to you?

“Shabbat is rest. It’s a pause from the entire week, a time to be with family and the children. For me, Shabbat is like a comforting cloud that you can simply rest upon.”

When do you start preparing for Shabbat, and what does it involve?

“I start on Tuesday by searching for new recipes. I love investing in Shabbat meals, and every week the menu is completely different.

“In the past, I used to bake a lot, but six months ago I was diagnosed with celiac disease, so now my menu requires much more flexibility. I’m creative in the kitchen, so I experiment with substitutes and prepare everything gluten-free, except for the challahs, which I buy. Guests who come to our home can hardly believe that all the food is gluten-free.

“On Wednesday, I prepare the shopping list for my husband. We like to buy everything fresh — meat, chicken, and fish.

“Thursday night is my regular cooking time. I start around 8:00 p.m. and continue until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning. I also set the Shabbat table and do laundry in between.

“Friday is my day. I can sleep until 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. or run errands after sending the children to preschool. During the summer, my husband helps wash the house, while I prepare salads and a cake — gluten-free, of course.

“Before Shabbat, all that remains is bathing the children and tidying up the house. I like everything to be perfectly organized by then. Having order before Shabbat gives me peace of mind.”

What does your Shabbat menu look like?

“Our Shabbat menu includes lots of fresh salads and only a few cooked dishes. Every Shabbat we have between eight and nine different salads.

“In the past, I would eat challah with the salads, but now I can’t, so I eat more fresh salads and the dishes that follow.

“For the first course, I prepare baked salmon or tilapia. The main course is usually something meat-based, such as beef, chicken, stuffed schnitzel, and the like, alongside rice and a vegetable side dish, such as sautéed green beans or a potato goulash.

“For the children, I serve the main course right away so they won’t fill up on challah and then refuse to eat the rest.”

The Second Meal

“For the daytime meal, we start again with salads and hard-boiled eggs, followed by a main course. It’s never cholent. Instead, I make more elaborate dishes such as shepherd’s pie, meat dishes, or goulash.

“In the past, I made schnitzels, or tortillas, but now I focus on gluten-free foods.

“For the third meal, we usually eat salads and leftover fish from the Friday night meal.”

Desserts

“For dessert, I prepare mousses, jelly, krembo cake, or various rice crisp combinations.

“There’s a dessert for every meal. When it’s just our family, I make a double batch of the same dessert for both evening and daytime meals. When guests come, I prepare something different for each meal.”

Describe your Shabbat table

“We use real dishes, not disposable ones, and the children have beautiful plastic plates.

“There’s always a bouquet of flowers on the table, and everything looks neat and inviting.

“We ask the children questions from the worksheets they received at school and preschool, and then we sing songs. I sing more than my husband because I feel very connected to it.

“During summer Shabbat afternoons, the children fall asleep, and then my husband and I enjoy some quiet time together.”

What is your favorite part of Shabbat?

“The morning.

“It’s the one morning when nobody wakes up under pressure and there’s no need to rush off to work. There’s time to pray and set the table peacefully. That’s my favorite time of all.

“I also love the afternoon, when we bring out snacks and fruit and sit together with the children to eat and talk.”

How do you help your children love Shabbat?

“I invest in special Shabbat clothing. Every week, my youngest daughter asks when she can already get dressed for Shabbat.

“The children also look forward all week to the Shabbat food and the special desserts we prepare in its honor.”

A Shabbat you'll never forget?

“Last Tammuz, my husband’s birthday fell on Shabbat, and I surprised him.

“I prepared everything as usual, and then, two hours before Shabbat, I told him we were going away for a couple’s Shabbat in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem.

“My mother-in-law volunteered to watch the children, and we spent a Shabbat that truly felt like a glimpse of the World to Come.

“We prayed all the services at the Western Wall. The weather was perfect, and the sense of holiness and togetherness was incredible.

“There was a moment when I missed the children, but sometimes it’s good to miss them.”

A Favorite Shabbat Recipe

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

“This gluten-free chocolate cake recipe from Niki B. comes out perfectly every time, and everyone loves it.”

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup oil

• 250 ml heavy cream

• 1 cup chocolate drink powder (such as Nesquik)

• 2 cups gluten-free pastry flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

For the Chocolate Glaze

• 150 ml heavy cream

• 150 g dark chocolate

For the Whipped Cream

• 250 ml heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding mix

Instructions

1. Beat the eggs and sugar in a mixer for a few seconds.

2. Add the oil and cream and continue mixing on low speed for a few more seconds.

3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth and fully combined.

4. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).

5. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

6. Allow the cake to cool completely and invert it onto a serving plate.

Prepare the Chocolate Glaze

1. Break the dark chocolate into pieces.

2. Add the cream and melt together in the microwave until smooth.

3. Pour the glaze over the cake.

Prepare the Whipped Cream

1. Whip the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla pudding mix until stiff peaks form.

2. Transfer to a piping bag and decorate the cake as desired.

The cake is delicious even without the whipped cream topping.

Enjoy!