Mega Challah Bake to unite hundreds of women
By Betty Nelander
Palm Beach Daily News
Friday, February 26, 2016
 The Jewish girls’ choir performs “Shabbos Queen” at last year’s Mega Challah Bake. From left are Rivka Levitin, Vida Sapojnikova, Emily Mandell and Kayla Esther Zakarin. Photo Courtesy of Chabad of Northern Palm Beach Island. |
 Four generations of women — one girl, her mother, her grandmother and her great-grandmother — lead the audience of last year’s Mega Challah Bake in the recitation of the blessing for separating a piece of dough for G‑d on their batch of dough. Photo Courtesy of Chabad of Northern Palm Beach Island |
 Showing homemade apple honey challah are Bonnie Jacobson, Rivka Stolik, Daphne Grad, Ellen Salth, Sheila Risso van Wyk, Susan Gilenson, Shaina Stolik, Esther Ophir, Elva Culbertson, Lynda Freedman and Rhonda Gold at Chabad of South Palm Beach in Plaza del Mar. Many of the women will also attend the Mega Challah Bake March 2 at the Marriott in West Palm Beach. Photo Courtesy of Shaina Stolik |
 Two women get started on their batch of Challah dough at last year’s Mega Challah Bake in West Palm Beach. Photo Courtesy of Chabad of Northern Palm Beach Island |
Unity, inspiration and connection. These attributes will be in abundance at a March 2 event in West Palm Beach.
That’s when hundreds of women and 11 Chabad centers will be represented at the second annual Mega Challah Bake at the West Palm Beach Marriott.
“We are so excited that this year we have 500 women joining us to bake Challah — the traditional Shabbat bread — together, but this event promises to be more than simply a culinary endeavor,” says Hindel Levitin, rebbetzin and teacher at Chabad of Northern Palm Beach Island.
“The fun and creativity will most certainly be there, but the goal is to experience challah-making as a delicious but also spiritual pursuit. It is a deeply meaningful act that binds us to our history and fulfills our responsibility and right as Jewish women to express ourselves in this uniquely feminine mitzvah.”
Participants will have the opportunity to pray for those in need of a blessing for health; children; happiness; finances and more.
In addition to Chabad of Northern Palm Beach Island, Chabad of South Palm Beach will also be among those represented. Shaina Stolik, co-director of Chabad of South Palm Beach, will make an egg-free no fail challah.
For more information on the 7 p.m. event, call Levitin, 347-564-8393, or email [email protected].
RSVP online to reserve a spot www.thechallahevent.com.