The word challah originally meant only the small portion of dough that was put in the oven when baking bread as a reminder of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem It has evolved into the twisted, sweet, almost brioche-like bread that was brought to America by immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe Although straight loaves of braided challah are eaten throughout the year, round challahs, often studded with raisins, are served for Rosh Hashana, and also for Yom Kippur and Sukkot, the ...