Tuesday, March 19, 2024 -
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Great Challah Bake 2017

If you haven’t been, you should go. There is something magical about the Great Challah Bake. There’s an energy when hundreds of people (in this case, solely women) gather to perform a ritual. It’s similar to the feeling generated by the Blessing of the Priests conducted during Sukkot and Passover at the Western Wall. You’re transported into the spiritual moment, knowing that everyone surrounding you is experiencing the same. In the case of the Challah Bake, and the Shabbat Project its part of, that sense is even more magnified, with the knowledge that you’re part of a global phenomenon, that thousands worldwide are doing the same, at the exact same moment.

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This year’s challah bake was no different. The energy in the BMH-BJ hall was palpable, not only from those who took to the dance floor, but from everyone: from the waves across the room, the socializing, the shared tips for kneading and braiding. The camaraderie is awesome. Not only do you see familiar faces, but you meet new ones. There’s this communal feeling that’s really hard to replicate.

So kudos the Great Challah Bake and its myriad volunteers — they’re the ones that really make it happen. And if you weren’t there, check out this video: We’re sure the energy coming through will having you signing up next year!

Next stop: The Great Big Shabbat Dinner!




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