On Thursday Oct. 12, over 200 women, children and even some men gathered at the Young Israel of New Rochelle to bake challah for Israel. The event raised $15,000 benefitting Friends of the IDF, which will be matched by the Saban family.
Event organizer Lauren Bochner described, “I was watching everything on Instagram on Monday, and I’m like, we have to do something. We can’t just sit around and cry.” Bochner noted how Carmiel Schoenfeld recalled that FIDF had hosted challah bakes. “I said, we need to have a challah bake! This week!”
To begin the event, the women gathered in the sanctuary. Michelle Halpert thanked everyone for attending. “We are here for unity, to daven, to show solidarity for Israel and to raise much needed money for Israeli soldiers. Tonight we will prepare our dough and do hafrashat challah together, a mitzvah specifically designed for women with tremendous opportunity to daven and arouse Hashem’s mercy.”
YINR Rebbetzin Abby Fink added, “I have been so proud over the last few days to see so many endeavors and undertakings on behalf of the chayalim of the medina and on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisrael.”
Rebbetzin Yael Axelrod led the group in tefillot for Medinat Yisrael, the chayalim, the sick and injured and for the people who have been abducted.
The group reconvened in the social hall where Rebbetzin Axelrod led the group in preparing the dough. She stressed her tip for delicious challah is to have patience while incorporating flour. She suggested doing this step slowly.
Former YINR member Debby Ziering reflected, “My brother and sister-in-law made aliyah 30 years ago and they have four beautiful children. Their oldest, Aryeh, was a captain in the K-9 unit.”
Ziering added, “He was dancing joyously on Simchat Torah, so joyously, with little children that they said come back tomorrow. But unfortunately, tomorrow never came. My family—we are shattered, we are torn apart. It’s very, very sad.”
As the dough was rising, the group assembled in the adjoining terrace room and recited the entire book of Tehillim, followed by songs of inspiration, hope and faith.
Judy Berger is The Jewish Link Bronx, Westchester and Connecticut community editor.
