The choice of November 9 for the Great Big Challah Bake coincided with the anniversary of Kristallnacht. In actual fact, it could not have been a more fitting occurrence. Over 1,000 women gathered together to learn or instruct each other on how to bake challah. There was not a thread left unturned to make this event a shining example of achdut (togetherness). It is certain that from the gates of heaven many thousands of women were looking down and smiling, realizing that nothing will ever stop the Jewish people from maintaining itself and moving on. Mrs. Vera Barta, a survivor of the atrocities of the Holocaust, who worked as a Catholic nanny for a family during the war in order to survive, represented the millions who lost their lives. She was introduced to the audience by Rabbanit K. Sara Cohen (known for her shiurim given on Torah Anytime), also well-known as the singer Kineret. The sincerity and strength in her voice easily transitioned the audience into the significance of Mrs. Barta being present at such an event on the occasion of the remembrance of Kristallnacht. Kineret related the story of how Mrs. Barta would say the catechism every night with the children under her care and would then get into her own bed and recite the Shema. Blessed with a new life in the United States, she attended the Challah Bake with her children and grandchildren and each lit a candle to perpetuate the memory of those who perished.
The preparation for this event, which took place at the Factory 220 in Passaic, began one year ago. Countless meetings and discussions of how to make this event supercede everyone’s expectations whirled around the table every time the committee met. Members of the chairing committee stemmed from various communities in the northern New Jersey area. Galena Shenfeld, President of the New Jersey Chapter of WIZO together with Debbie Rosalimsky. Janet Hod, Esther Friedman and Elisheva Hansford Fhima, a group of dedicated, passionate women concentrated on whatever could make the evening the most successful. Many others were a part of the steering committee. Through the generosity of many sponsors, including the Jewish Link, the costs of the evening were kept to a minimum, and the proceeds of the event were donated to WIZO’s shelter for battered women in Israel.
The hall was draped in purple and white. As each woman took her place at her assigned table, waiting for her was an individual place setting on which a purple bowl filled with many pre-measured ingredients were waiting. Included were all of the necessities to prepare a challah for baking. A purple-and-white apron, as well as the instructions and many other goodies, awaited each attendee as well. Each participant was introduced to her “challah coach,” who was hand-picked for each table. A beautiful introduction was given by Rochie Pinson, author of “The Rising Life: Challah Baking Elevated,” who continued to charm the audience with her passionate belief in the role of this mitzvah in the life of a Jewish woman. Rochie then began the instructions of what each woman should do to begin her challah-baking project.
Once the dough was prepared and needed to rise, the room became electrified by the music of Naz Ziz with “iMove with NAZ.” Picture over 1,000 women joined in a chain, dancing around the entire hall to the strains of wonderful Israeli and Chassidic sounds. Girls of every age, women of every age, dancing together to celebrate this amazing occasion. The music and dancing continued on with no one anxious to see it end.
Finally, as the evening almost came to an end, many different versions of how to braid challah was taught on multiple screens set up throughout the hall as Rochie Pinson described what she considers “easy” to do. Every woman braided her own personal challah and watched as Rochie, from her much larger amount of dough, did hafrashat challah and said the bracha, and the hall resonated with everyone answering Amen. There was not a person who left Factory 220 without a big smile on her face, clutching her bowl carefully in order to allow her challah to rise more upon reaching home, ready to rise just a little more before baking. As one lady related, “It smelled so wonderful, that after it was baked we ate it right away because we just could not wait.”
The morning following the event, organizers were inundated with emails and postings from attendees who were overwhelmed with excitement from the previous evening. A few samples of what was written were, “This was a great event. Is it always in November? I want to make sure that I don’t miss it next year.” Another lady wrote, “Yasher koach on a beautiful event. The achdut and energy last night were amazing. My daughter had a great time too.” A challah-baking coach (there was a coach present at each table in order to help the ladies) wrote, “ ….You guys did a truly incredible job—down to the very last detail! I even feel like the quality of my dough was influenced by it—so much nicer than my regular challah dough.”
Kudos to all the amazing women who need only feel extreme pride at what they accomplished. As Janet Hod, one of the organizers, said, “My feet are sore but my heart is full!”
About the organizers, it was suggested that at their follow-up meeting they should treat themselves to a bottle of champagne! They deserve every drop.
By Nina Glick
