The LA Jewish Federation (where I work as the Program Director of the Hunger Initiative) just ran a very successful campaign to have people host Shabbat dinners in their homes or synagogues all on the same night. The campaign was VERY – with more than 1,200 people participating. I hosted dinner for 12 in my little Pasadena bungalow and it was wonderful. The chicken was pure experiment after reading several recipes and it was GREAT!

Here’s the menu:

• Olives (my home brew and some lovely little black olives)
• Nana’s Homemade Hummus
• Chevre with garlic and herbs
• Pistachios with dried cherries

• Challah of course!
• Bob’s spectacularly good salmon gefilte fish

• Morroccish Chicken with Artichoke Hearts, Olives and Preserved Lemon
• Johanna’s yummy rice pilaf
• Ed’s veggies – zucchini with tomatoes and delicious carrots
• Howard’s Spanakopita
• …and the wine flowed!

• Jane’s Once-a-Year (unless we can talk her into making it again tomorrow!) Plum Tart
• Carl’s Bowtie cookies and Semolina Coconut Cake
• Espresso

When my house is full of good friends, good food, laughter and conversation it becomes a holy place. This as much as anything makes Shabbat.