In Jerusalem, it’s challah for Israel’s soldiers

Five hundred Jewish mothers from around the world bonded over baking challahs for Israeli soldiers in Jerusalem last Thursday in The Great Big Challah Bake run by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP) as part of the global Shabbat Project.

The women — 400 of whom were visiting Israel Nov. 6–16 on a JWRP “Momentum” trip — baked over 1,000 challahs for two hours, then packaged the loaves to donate to Israeli soldiers.

The visitors, from Canada, the U.S., Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, are touring Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Galilee and other popular destinations as part of the Momentum trip, which features extensive itineraries and curated curricula encompassing everything from Jewish values to contemporary Israeli society.

The Momentum trips are designed to inspire Jewish mothers to connect deeply with their Jewish heritage and transform themselves, their families and ultimately their communities and the wider world. More than 10,000 Jewish mothers from 26 countries around the world have already participated in the Momentum trips.

The Great Big Challah Bake was in partnership with Shabbat Project, a global movement that unites Jews of all denominations and backgrounds to celebrate the transformative power of Shabbat.