Benjamin's First (Shabbat) Meal

When I was growing up, Sundays were still quiet, with most stores closed, and many people either observing the sabbath or taking the day for what it was intended: to rest. Now it seems Sundays in the U.S. are barely more restful than any other day of the week.

In Israel, and especially in Jerusalem, the sabbath, or shabbat, still has a very different feel than the rest of the days of the week. Here, shabbat is on Saturday, or, more accurately, it starts at sundown on Friday evening and continues until sundown on Saturday. And for many, it is a true day of rest if not a day of religious observance. Eric and I aren't religious, but we look forward to shabbat in Jerusalem because you can feel the whole city wind down; it's a nice change of pace. Friday mornings are usually a bit hectic, as everyone is out shopping before the stores close, but by late afternoon, everything slows down. Stores close their doors, cafes serve their last customers, and traffic on the streets is significantly lower. Those who are observant dress up and head to services. Those who are going to a family member's or friend's house walk quickly down the street, holding a bottle of wine or a bunch of fresh flowers or the traditional loaf of challah bread. And the rest of us head inside to cook dinner.

Our dinner usually isn't necessarily exceptional on shabbat, but sometimes we light a candle or open a bottle of wine. In contrast, tonight's shabbat meal was a big event for us because Benjamin had his first taste of oatmeal cereal (drowned in a good bit of milk). I swear he's been eyeing "big people" food for a while now, and he pretty much demands to sit on my lap at every meal; I'm sure he wants to check out what we're eating! So we figured it was time to start him on solids, and after seeing his response to the oatmeal tonight, I think our instincts were pretty good. He didn't hesitate to slurp down that first bite of food, and he kept demanding more until the bowl was empty. Here are some photos and videos of the big event in our day. In the first video, you can hear Alexander in the background saying, "Yes!" and "Mummy Yummy!" (which is his version of "yummy"). Don't mistake his shouting for cheers of encouragement for Benjamin. He yells "Yes!" when he wants something, and in this case, he's across the table pointing at Benjamin's food because he wants what his brother is eating. Of course. He has a meal of chicken, bread, and soup in front of him and he wants his brother's watered down oatmeal cereal. And so the sibling rivalry begins...

 

 

As a final note, as we begin our day of rest and reflection here in Israel, we're thinking of our friends and family (and everyone else) in Boston. We send you our love. Stay safe!