11/01/2016
Celebrate Community at the Challah Bake
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Kosher Nutritious
by Caroline Sharvit
I don’t know about you, but even though I feel ready to get back to my routine after the disruption of the Jewish High Holidays and Sukkot, there is usually a part of me that feels a bit down. I miss the sense of community that is almost palpable at this time of year. I love seeing people walking to and from synagogue wishing each other a Happy New Year. I enjoy hearing my neighbors singing in their sukkah. I look forward to preparing and eating traditional foods reserved for these holidays.
This year, however, as I say goodbye to the holidays, I am looking ahead to the Shabbat of November 11-12. Over the weekend, one million Jews (yes, one million!) from hundreds of cities all over the world will gather for the 3rd annual Shabbos Project. Originally initiated by Rabbi Warren Goldstein, the Chief Rabbi of South Africa, the goal is for Jews of all backgrounds and all levels of religious observance to come together to celebrate Shabbat.
In Cleveland, the Cleveland Shabbos Project is organizing a women’s night out mega Challah Bake on November 10. The Challah Bake will be followed over the weekend by various Shabbat meals and Shabbat related activities organized by local synagogues and organizations. For more information contact your local synagogue or visit the Cleveland Shabbos Project website.
But back to the Challah Bake: In a world which often causes us to focus on what separates and divides us, the Challah Bake is an opportunity to celebrate what we share – a love and appreciation of our community, our heritage, and traditions. Imagine the power, the energy, and the excitement as over 1,400 Jewish women gather together – to learn from and to teach each other how to make challah, of course, but also to engage in an act of Jewish unity.
Take your imagination one step further and imagine the delicious smell that permeates your home as the challahs you prepared bake in your oven. This may sound silly, but as my challahs bake every week I often step outside for a moment just so I can walk back in and enjoy the smell of baking bread. To me, it means that Shabbat, the respite and special time carved away to spend with family and friends, is on the way.
If you haven’t already registered for the challah bake, you can do so by visiting the Cleveland Shabbos Project website.
Join your fellow Jewish sisters and become part of a global movement!
STAY TUNED: Caroline will be sharing a special challah recipe from the challah bake after the event! Check back soon for more details.
Whether the motivation is weight management, athletic performance or disease management, clinical nutritionist Caroline Sharvit helps clients incorporate their food preferences within the framework of a healthy food plan and promotes long term strategies aimed at achieving weight and wellness goals.
Caroline holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, and is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
She provides nutrition counseling for children and adults through Tree of Knowledge, an educational services provider in Cleveland, Ohio.
