By C.M. This past Thursday night, before The Shabbos Project, 200 Jewish women of all different religious affiliations baked challah together in Lakewood. It was a Jewish unity event that connected Jewish sisters with each other through the experience of baking challah, and it was amazing.

Mrs. Lauren Roth and Mrs. Miriam Jaffe explained the significance of each of the ingredients, the spiritual significance of making challah as well as the tremendous mitzvah of connecting Jewish people together. There was a palpable air of joy and connection and fun and friendships being formed, as the women kneaded and braided together. People were talking and laughing and taking pictures together—there was a tremendous positive energy in the room. As one middle aged woman commented, “I don’t recall an event where so many woman from so many different levels of observances, came together for such a bonding event. It was so special.”

Mrs. Mimi Mermelstein demonstrated different challah braiding techniques, and when she made the blessing over the challah dough, the entire room responded “Amen!” then erupted into spirited dancing. The dancing continued for over half an hour!

Malky Giniger, the famed Jewish singer and performer inspired the crowd with a moving song, while the women linked arms and swayed to the music. The women exchanged phone numbers and email addresses and invited each other for Shabbos as well as vowed to continue this amazing experience they had together.

The bond has been formed, and everyone is looking forward to the next connecting event, this Chanukah: The Great Big Latke Fry.

We thank our sponsors of The Great Big Challah Bake, including Chavi Chase of Pret a Partee and Faigy Murray Photography.

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