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.

---

challah British  

/ ˈhɑːlə, xaˈla /

noun

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

---

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

Over delicious homemade challah, we discussed classic graphic novels, many of which he edited.

From Salon • Nov. 28, 2024

This recipe dispatches any sort of stale loaf — the panettone, challah, brioche, a few croissants, a day-old baguette, even dried cake — forgotten among all the holiday goodies.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 25, 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

The chicken and potatoes and challah were among the most delicious things he had ever eaten, up there with lasagna and baklava, even.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman