Friday Night Fish

Friday Night Shabbat Fish

Every week, from Friday at sunset until Saturday night, Jews around the world pause to honor one of the oldest and most cherished traditions in Jewish life: Shabbat.

This 25-hour sacred rest is more than a day off, it’s a time for renewal, reconnection, and reflection. Work stops, devices go dark, and attention turns inward: to family, to faith, to food.

At the center of it all is the Shabbat table an expression of both spiritual beauty and cultural diversity.

Among the many rituals that make up a Shabbat meal, one that unites communities around the world is the custom of serving fish before the main course. But how that fish is prepared and what it represents can look very different depending on where your ancestors came from.

In many Ashkenazi homes, especially those rooted in Eastern Europe, the meal begins with gefilte fish, a cold, poached fish cake made from ground whitefish, carp, or pike. Served with a spoonful of horseradish, it’s a dish that stirs strong opinions and even stronger memories.

For some, it’s comfort food from their grandmother’s kitchen. But behind the jelly and the spice is meaning: in Jewish thought, fish represent vigilance, fertility, and divine protection. Their eyes never close, symbolizing God’s ever-watchful presence.

Gefilte fish developed out of practicality. Grinding and mixing fish with breadcrumbs or matzah meal made it stretch further for large families. It also cleverly avoided the Shabbat prohibition of separating bones from meat, making it as much a halachic solution as a culinary invention.

Meanwhile, in Sephardic communities across North Africa, the Balkans, and the Middle East, the fish course swims in a very different direction. There, it’s common to serve white fish simmered in a rich tomato-based sauce, often with onions, garlic, bell peppers, olive oil, and a touch of spice or citrus. The flavor combinations vary by region: Moroccan Jews might add cumin, paprika, and harissa; Turkish or Syrian families may bring in notes of sweetness with cinnamon or tamarind.

The result is a vibrant, warm, and fragrant dish served proudly at the center of the table.

This dish, too, is layered with meaning. Passed down through generations after the expulsion from Spain in 1492, it tells the story of a people who adapted to their new surroundings but never let go of their identity. Each bite carries not only flavor but history.

After teaching martial arts for more than 35 years, I’ve had the privilege of sitting at many of my students Shabbat and holiday tables across the spectrum of Jewish life.

In my own backyard of West Rogers Park, Chicago, I’ve seen that no two tables are the same, even in the same ZIP code. I’ve enjoyed homemade whole whitefish stuffed with gefilte filling, baked golden and served cold. I’ve also savored Moroccan white fish so tender it falls apart with a fork, its sauce deeply rich and layered.

Each version, Ashkenazi or Sephardic, is a reflection of love, memory, and survival. Each is rooted in geography but transcends borders.

To taste Jewish food is to taste Jewish history. This is the beauty of Jewish life: one tradition, countless expressions.

Whether poached in jelly or simmered in spice, the Shabbat fish is more than a dish. It’s a story on a plate.

About the Author

Alvin Raúl Cardona, also known by his Hebrew name Emmanuel Ze’ev, is a 9th-generation Eagle Claw Kung Fu master, educator, and founder of Life Force Health, Wellness & Fitness LLC. A Mexican and Puerto Rican Jew of Sephardic origin, he helps others heal, grow, and reconnect through movement, breath, and tradition.