SHABBAT RESOURCES

SHABBAT RESOURCES | SHABBAT IN THE 1930s

Shabbos in Europe in the 1930s

My first recollections of Shabbos are from my youth in Rodam, Poland where I lived until I was 15 years old. For the women, preparations started on Thursday. For me, the beginning of the Shabbos (that’s how we pronounced it) started with preparations on Friday afternoon. All the stores closed early - whether you were religious or not, your business had to be closed for Shabbos. In the afternoon, before Shabbos my father and my grandfather, who was a rabbi, took my brothers and me to the mikvah*.

Shabbos was a very special holiday in every Jewish home. We prepared for the sabbath by setting out our finest table cloths, finest silver candelabras and beautiful china. On Friday evening the whole family gathered around the table. My mother lit the candles with the girls. Then we all walked to Shul together.

After coming home from Shul, we had a Shabbos Goy* come in to turn on the lights and light the stove, since Jews could not do these on Shabbos. Then we sat down around the beautiful table and my grandfather proceeded to say the Kiddush* and make the Hamotzi*, and dinner was served. First we had homemade fish, then chicken soup with noodles, followed by meat and chicken. For dessert we had fruit compote, then hot tea served in glasses. There were always homemade pastries. After the Shabbos dinner we always sang z’miros* and said the prayers after eating.

Shabbos morning we dressed in our finest clothes and walked back to Shul. After the services, my father always brought home guests to share the Shabbos meal. On Friday the women took their cholent* in a pot to the bakery where it sat in the oven overnight. At noon on Shabbos, the Shabbos Goy picked it up and delivered it to our home. We made the daytime Kiddush and ate a lunch of fish, chopped liver, cholent, tea and cakes.

After lunch the family sat around the table singing z’miros until it was time to return to Shul for mincha. This is how I remember Shabbos as a boy in Rodam.

- - Jack Repp