Food Tourah – Terumah
February 25, 2025 in Food Tourah
Because life so often happens around food, we’re spending the year exploring the weekly parshiot and finding connections to each week’s Shabbat menu. Sarah, a seasoned Jewish educator, brings a wealth of knowledge to our discussions, while Alison, who loves creating dishes that bring people together, are excited to explore the weekly portions in greater depth. Each week we will give a brief overview of the parsha and then suggest ways to incorporate its themes into your Shabbat menu. This is our version of Julie and Julia – the charming movie in which a blogger challenges herself to make all 524 recipes from Julia Child’s 1961 classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking in just one year. Lucky for us, we only have to cover 54 parshiot – 35 more to go!
Terumah (“Donation”), like the previous parsha, is not narrative in nature. God instructs Moses to collect offerings from the Israelites for the construction of the Mishkan, a portable sanctuary where God’s presence would dwell among the people. God describes each and every detail of how the sanctuary should look including measurements, materials, and design. Central to the Mishkan is the Ark – a place to house the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. The Ark is to be crafted from acacia wood, overlaid with gold, and fitted with gold rings for carrying poles. Two cherubim are to sit atop the Ark, facing each other with outspread wings, signifying God’s presence in the sanctuary. Additional features described include the table for the showbread (also known as the bread of display), the golden menorah, and intricately woven curtains and coverings – each detail symbolizing the sacred space’s role in connecting the Israelites with the divine.
With so many details to choose from in this parsha, a fun place to begin is with Holy Guacamole – a nod to the divine spirit that dwells within the Mishkan and within all of us. Next, enjoy these tasty baked Onion Rings. Not only are they delicious, but they mirror the gold rings used in the construction of the Ark. For a dish that parallels the parsha’s emphasis on detailed instructions for building the Mishkan, try Golden Carrot Soup with Pistachio Dukkah. This vibrant, hearty soup will warm you up on these cold winter nights. It’s satisfying enough to serve as an entrée, but if you’d like to add chicken or meat to your Shabbat table, simply use a non-dairy yogurt for the topping or leave it out all together! And finally, because every meal should end on a sweet note, we suggest this recipe for Angel Food Cake. Light and airy, it’s a sweet reflection of the two cherubim with outspread wings perched atop the Ark.
B’tayavon and Shabbat Shalom,
Alison (Baraf) & Sarah (Roark)
To read past installments of Food Tourah, click here.
For a more in-depth look at this week’s parsha, visit Sefaria.com.