Challah Boards and Covers

Frequently Asked Questions

The challah is covered while kiddush is recited over the wine. The most commonly given explanations are that covering the bread spares its "honor" while the wine is blessed first, and that the cover recalls the dew that covered the manna in the desert. That's the entire reason challah covers exist as a distinct piece of Judaica.

Two loaves — called lechem mishneh — are customarily placed on the table at Shabbat and holiday meals, recalling the double portion of manna that fell before the Sabbath in the desert. Practically, that means a challah board should have room for two loaves under the cover, which is worth checking when you're choosing a size.

Choose wood if you want a warm, traditional board that doubles as a serving centerpiece; choose glass if you want the easiest cleanup and a more modern look. This collection's wood boards include Hebrew-lettered acacia designs, while the glass options range from a marble-handled cutting board to heated trays that keep the loaf warm. Both handle weekly cutting fine.

A heated challah tray is a glass tray designed to keep the challah warm on the table through the meal. This collection includes two, both with white pomegranate designs — one in gray tones, one in light blue. They're a practical option for longer Shabbat and holiday meals where the loaf would otherwise sit out and cool.

A long serrated knife is the right tool for challah — the braided, crusty loaf tears under a straight blade but slices cleanly with serration. Dedicated challah knives, like the ring-handled designs in this collection, are sized and styled for the Shabbat table so the knife can stay out as part of the setting rather than coming from the kitchen drawer.

Yes — a challah board and knife set is one of the most classic Jewish wedding gifts, because the couple will use it at every Shabbat and holiday meal they host. A complete set of board, embroidered cover, and knife from this collection makes a self-contained gift; boards here run from simple wood with a built-in salt dish up to the nickel-plate statement set, with current prices on each listing.