This is an advertisement for time-saving traditional Shabbat and holiday dishes being sold by Osem. The advertisement acknowledges that in modern times fewer people are cooking traditional dishes in their homes anymore and announces new products which promise to taste like the traditional versions but require a fraction of the time and effort. Within 30 minutes, the customer can prepare and serve cholent, hamin, lentil stew, or Hungarian goulash. The advertisement seems to be appealing to the modern woman who may still want to prepare traditional Shabbat meals despite having less time due to working outside of the home.
The design of the advertisement includes pots full of stew to cater for a large family and a package of instant cholent. The Osem logo appears at the bottom of the advertisement featuring an ear of wheat. This image reflects the Hebrew word Osem which means an abundance of agricultural produce.
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Cholent – Cholent is a dish that is traditionally served for Shabbat lunch. According to the Torah, cooking is not allowed on Shabbat, so from ancient times stews were left on a low temperature from before Shabbat. Such stews were eaten in many Jewish communities, differing only in specific ingredients and the names. Each family had their own recipe which might be handed down from generation to generation. Ashkenazi cholent can include meat, barley, bean, kishke (stuffed intestines), onions, pepper, and paprika, while Sephardi hamin might contain rice, eggs, turmeric, and cumin. Both include various types of meats such as beef and chicken, although there are, of course, modern vegetarian and gluten-free versions.
Osem – Osem was established in 1942 when three pasta manufacturers decided to join forces and market their products together. They chose the name Osem, which originates from the prayer said by the High Priest on Yom Kippur: “May this year be a year of plenty (osem).” After each operating separate noodle factories, the seven founders of Osem decided to open a joint factory in Bnei Brak in 1946. Over the years, Osem acquired other companies and expanded their brand to include the snack Bamba, cookies, ketchup, hummus, and more. Today Osem is owned by the international company Nestle.
Shabbat – Shabbat is the Jewish name for Saturday, the Jewish day of rest. According to Jewish tradition, this day commemorates the final, seventh day of God’s creation of the world. Shabbat is observed from just before sunset on Friday night until the appearance of three stars on Saturday night. The Talmud devotes an entire tractate to the rules of Shabbat and derives 39 types of forbidden activities. These include using electricity, writing, and other actions that are considered forms of creating. Shabbat is, instead, a day for family, community, prayer, and reflection. Traditionally Shabbat is ushered in by lighting candles, reciting the blessings over wine, Kiddush, and over the two loaves of special Shabbat bread, challah, and enjoying a festive meal. Shabbat is marked in the synagogue by a special additional prayer, known as Musaf, and the reading of the weekly Torah portion. The end of Shabbat is marked by the Havdalah ceremony. In Israel, secular Jews also enjoy Shabbat by eating Friday night dinner with their family and friends and spending time together in the countryside or on the beach. Most workplaces are closed on Shabbat.
Shabbat Food – Food is an important part of the celebration of Shabbat. All Shabbat meals open with Kiddush, the blessing on wine and a blessing on the two loaves of special Challah bread. The menu, however, differs according to the origin of the family. Traditional food in Ashkenazi families often includes fish or gefilte fish, chicken soup with kneidelach (matza balls) and chicken or beef. Sephardi families open the meal with elaborate, often spicy salads, spicy fish, and chicken or beef. For Shabbat lunch, it is traditional to eat stews that have cooked throughout the night such as the Ashkenazi cholent and the Sephardi chamin or tabith. Today, the communities have come together and the different traditions are often combined, so that is not surprising to start a Shabbat meal with Sephardi salads together with Jachnun, a Yemenite savoury pastry, and followed by gefilte fish and cholent.
