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Roots of the Holy Eucharist
The Holy Eucharist has its foundation in Two forms of Jewish worship: services in the synagogue and family meals around the dinner table. These same rites can help explain some of Jesus actions at the Last Supper. synagogue worship consisted of readings from the Law and the Prophets (called the Old testament by Christian), prayers, a sermon, and the faith statement of Judaism: the Shema, which is the basis for what Christians know as the first and great commandment quoted by Jesus (Matthew 22:37-38). the Shema says, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your soul, and with all your might (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

The Jewish people also had another form of worship, one that took place around the dinner table with family or a group of friends. At the start of the meal the head of the family took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and distributed it to everyone. At the end of the meal, he took a cup of said a longer blessing over it, giving thanks for God's love, God's mighty acts in history and for the special occasion being celebrated. Everyone drank from the one cup. This was called the cup of thanksgiving or cup of blessing. The Greek word for thanksgiving is eucharistia.  

Source: Beth Wickenberg Ely, A Manual for Lay Eucharistic Ministers (Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing 1991) pp.16, 17.