challah

American  

[khah-luh, hah] / ˈxɑ lə, ˈhɑ /

Also challeh,

noun

1. a loaf of rich white bread leavened with yeast and containing eggs, often braided before baking, prepared especially for the Jewish Sabbath.

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challah British  

/ ˈhɑːlə, xaˈla /

noun

1. bread, usually in the form of a plaited loaf, traditionally eaten by Jews to celebrate the Sabbath

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Etymology

Origin of challah

From the Hebrew word hallāh

Explanation

Challah is an eggy yeast bread that's traditionally eaten by Jewish people on Shabbat and other holidays. Braided challah is the most common type. Not only is challah a tasty kind of bread, it's also highly significant in Judaism. Having two loaves at a meal symbolizes the manna, or food, that fell from heaven when the Israelites wandered through the desert. A piece of dough set aside before baking represents a tithe, or religious contribution, and salting the challah is an important part of blessing the meal, as salt symbolizes an eternal bond with God.

Example Sentences

After a little kitchen reset, they’d open the door to spaghetti night, or roast chicken with challah, or a big pot of stew—same night, every week.

From Salon • Jan. 27, 2026

But it’s a Shabbat dinner, complete with Hebrew prayers over challah.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2025

Choose instead a stale or dried out brioche, French bread or baguette, sourdough, or even stale Texas toast or challah.

From Salon • Dec. 12, 2023

The six mothers had gathered in a Jerusalem home on a recent Friday to prepare challah, the braided bread that Jews eat on the Sabbath.

From New York Times • Dec. 3, 2023

There would have been a kiddush after the service, with challah rolls, potatoes, chicken—my stomach growled just thinking about it.

From "Prisoner B-3087" by Alan Gratz