Feast of Weeks

Feast of Weeks, also known as Shavuot, is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the anniversary of the day
God gave the Torah to the entire nation of Israel at Mount Sinai. The word Shavuot means “weeks" and it marks the completion of the seven-week period between Passover and Shavuot. On this holiday it is customary to eat dairy, some say it is a reminder of the promise regarding the land of Israel, a land flowing with "milk and honey" and others say it is because our ancestors had just received the Torah and did not have both meat and dairy dishes available (due to dietary laws).

Photo by Jewish Exponent

Each Jewish culture celebrates Shavuot in their own way. Persian Jews make "Polow mastin", a dish made of rice and milk, and "kultcha shiri", a dairy cake. Greek Jews make a special porridge made with dairy and cinnamon called "sutlac". Libyan Jews make necklaces strung with cookies or pretzels in symbolic shapes for their children, and Iraqi Jews make "sambusak", a savory pastry filled with cheese. 

Greek Dish: Sultac

Iraqi Dish: Sambusak

My family (Amanda) are Moroccan Jews and tonight we had a feast at my grandmother's sister's house. She made cheese bourekas (a puff pastry that is similar to sambusak), quiche with cheese and spinach, quiche with corn and mushrooms, salads, pasta with cheese and mushrooms, bulgarit (bulgarian cheese, similar to feta), and a homemade cheesecake with tea for dessert. It was a fun filled evening, everyone was enjoying their meal and singing and laughing. I wish I had a picture to show you but just imagine a full sized table with 8 adults and one adorable 2-year-old girl, and about 5 main dishes and 6 different salads. It was an amazing evening with family, just the way the holidays are supposed to be. 

Cheese Bourekas

Bulgarian Cheese

Israeli Cheesecake

HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY EVERYONE!!