How Do You Make Kiddush On The Jewish Sabbath?
The ritual of Kiddush brings the beauty of the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat) into the home and initiates the festive meal. Kiddush is a blessing recited over a cup of wine and is a prayer which welcomes the Shabbat and celebrates the holiness of the day. Traditionally, the mother ushers in Shabbat by lighting candles before sundown, and the father recites Kiddush over wine when he returns from the synagogue. Make sure the table is set with a white tablecloth, and two challot (loaves of special Shabbat bread) are on the table. Cover the loaves with a decorative cloth before beginning Kiddush. Sing traditional songs for Friday evening printed in your prayer book: Shalom Aleichem (“Peace to You”) and Aisches Chayil (“Woman of Valor”). Children should be encouraged to join in. Place the Kiddush cup on a small plate, pick up the cup with your left hand and fill the cup with wine so that it overflows on to the plate. This symbolizes abundance and recalls the verse in Psalm 23, “My cup overflows.”
