Tidewater women from five years of age and up gathered at B’nai Israel Congregation in Norfolk for the 7th Annual Great Big Challah Bake on Thursday, October 21. The annual event is part of the global Shabbos Project and a collaboration between B’nai Israel Congregation and United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning.
Even with masks on, attendees’ happy faces shone with smiles. Darcy Bloch, B’nai Israel Congregation’s Sisterhood president and event chair, warmly welcomed the women and walked them through the steps of mixing and kneading their challah dough. As the dough was rising, Aliza Markman, Racheli Kovan, and Rebbitzin Chamie Haber, of B’nai Israel Congregation, shared about the feelings that are infused into a home as a family prepares for Shabbat, and the power of a room filled with women sharing in the mitzvah of challah making.
To learn more about similar programs, contact Sierra Lautman, director of Jewish Innovation at United Jewish Federation of Tidewater at SLautman@UJFT.org.
-Sierra Lautman