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September 20, 2002/Tishri 14 5763, Vol. 55, No. 4
Local host opens his home for Shabbat dinners
From Special Section: "Living in Style"
ALISA SLOAN
Special Sections Editor
Anyone who has hosted a party knows the allure of an evening at home with friends.
There's no driving, no dressing up, no waiting in line for a dinner table or jockeying for space on a crowded dance floor.
Home-oriented hosts can showcase signature food and drink, choose the music to set the mood and invite guests to enjoy their home's amenities. Yet there's a bit of work involved in entertaining at home. Preparations take time, and unless helpful guests roll up their sleeves, eventually the host must take responsibility for putting the house back in order - even if it's put off until the next morning.
Regardless, many find making the mess to be very rewarding.
Among them is local host Eric Sultan. He welcomes guests to his Scottsdale home (and previously, to the Phoenix home of his cousin Michael Moyal, which he shared) on a regular basis. And not just one guest, but many - often for religious reasons. Sultan is the host of Friday night dinners that observe Shabbat with a varying roster of guests ranging from religiously observant to non-Jewish.
According to Sultan, the gatherings include as few as four or five people and as many as 40 or 70.
Not all of his gatherings are religious, but whether the evening is planned around Shabbat or a barbecue, Sultan is happy to entertain. "I love the company," says Sultan. "I also like to take the opportunity to introduce non-practicing Jews and gentiles to the beauty of a Shabbat dinner."
Though he enjoys entertaining, there can be mitigating factors that determine who he is able to invite. "Unfortunately either time or finances can limit that," he explains, which means that for him, "There is a beauty in small invites."
Part of that "beauty" is the intimacy a short guest list affords. "As a host you get to relax more and have in-depth conversations. Large parties usually lead to a lot of superficial conversations."
The subject often turns more serious at Shabbat dinners, he notes. "During Shabbat dinners we can always count on some religious (or) political conversations (about Israel)."
Sultan comes by his graciousness honestly. "My family has always pushed the concept of hospitality," he explains. "There is truly a great feeling in receiving people in one's home. Even greater when they had a good meal and a great time."
Aside from the obvious benefit of entertaining at home, says Sultan, is the spiritual benefit, especially during Shabbat. Likewise, he adds, there are networking benefits, since guests often make social and business connections.
Friends echo Sultan's sentiments. "I enjoy the Shabbat dinners and the gathering of friends at the end of the week," says Shabbat dinner guest Elan Dahan of Phoenix. "It brings us closer together and reminds us of who we are."
Lauren Kalman of Phoenix also enjoys the camaraderie and spiritual aspects of Sultan's dinners. "I enjoy the family feel and the great food," she says.
To lessen the responsibility of entertaining on such a large scale, friends and family often pitch in. "There are many people that are conscious of the effort it takes and make it a point to help," says Sultan. Conscientious guests arrive with a bottle of wine, help him set up, cook or serve, or assist with doing the dishes.
As for the guests who don't help out, Sultan is not shy about giving them a gentle nudge. "Unfortunately some people are either uncomfortable or not educated along these lines," he says. "Helpful hints usually cure that over time."
Guests who show up with groceries are welcome to cook in Sultan's kitchen. However, since he keeps a kosher home, he is often content to provide the food himself.
"My signature dish is a poached salmon in a saffron sauce with garlic, cilantro and red bell peppers. I also make a decent Moroccan cholent (called 'Dafina')."
For Kalman, the most memorable aspect of Sultan's dinners is "the singing of the men (and) davening before the meal. It sets the ambience and a true feeling that one belongs to the group," she explains. "There is also a feeling of mutual affection for one another that is brought to an all-time high when we welcome in Shabbat."
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