A Moroccan Shabbat Experience

Move over gefilte fish, chicken soup, and chopped liver… Here’s how we do it.

Illustration by Lea Kron

The Man

Sammy Ben David

Father of 6

Jerusalem

Director of Sales

My food experiences as a child were very rich in flavors and spices. Both of my grandmothers were from Morocco, and both excellent cooks. My mother, having a passion for cooking, would prepare many of the traditional Moroccan foods for Shabbat, including fish, chickpeas, and cooked and raw salads. The main course was usually brisket or Asian-themed chicken, not your traditional Moroccan main courses, which were reserved for the holidays.

As the eldest, I was my mother’s assistant, helping her in all the food preparations. I learned at a young age the joy and pleasures of cooking — and, most importantly, that organization is key in the kitchen, especially when planning a varied menu. Every week I prepare the traditional Moroccan fish, which has been the oneg of Friday night dinner for many generations. Happily, my children are also becoming experts in the preparation and tasting.

Although I usually help my wife with her Shabbat prep by making fish and maybe a couple of dips, this week I was going to do it all — including fresh salads, the main course, and the desserts.

The Prep Begins

On Wednesday, I started my grocery shopping on my work break, letting myself get inspired at the grocery store. I bought the basics that I knew I’d need — fish, meat, cold cuts, and vegetables. When I got home that night, I sat down to decide on my menu. I knew that it had to contain lots of different salads and dips, since my wife, who has a French Algerian background, loves to serve a variety of foods for Shabbat, and I wanted to make sure she’d be happy.