Over 100 guests, including Holocaust survivors and local students gathered for an
afternoon of chesed (kindness) and challah-making.
BOCA RATON, Fla. (October 10, 2024)– On Thursday, September 26, PJ Our Way™ and From March to Miriam hosted Challah for Chesed, an intergenerational event in partnership with the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. With over 100 attendees, the event fostered meaningful connections between Holocaust survivors, PJ Our Way™ tweens and participants in the From March to Miriam program through the mitzvah of challah-making.
The event featured special guests, the Challah Back Girls®, a sibling-founded small business on a mission to promote justice and compassion through the Jewish tradition of baking challah. The Challah Back Girls led a hands-on challah-baking session that brought participants together to share in the joy of this age-old tradition.
Holocaust survivor Zelda Fuksman was a highlight of the event, sharing how baking challah provided comfort and connection during her childhood. Her heartfelt words offered a reminder of the importance of memory and tradition, and L’dor v’dor (creating a bridge between generations.) “Looking back is looking forward. It is a gift when young people are open to learn from our shared history and traditions. I believe this will bring them great satisfaction in their future.”
In addition to baking, the event emphasized the Jewish value of tikkun olam (repairing the world) through a mitzvah (good deed) opportunity, where guests brought non-perishable food items to donate to the Jacobson Family Food Pantry. The overwhelming generosity of the community was felt as donations poured in, filling boxes with vital supplies for local families in need.
From March to Miriam participants and PJ Our Way tweens, had the invaluable opportunity to meet and learn firsthand from survivors and share in this special experience with the local community.
“Usually, March of the Living participants are the ones sharing Holocaust survivors’ testimonies, but this time, we wanted to involve the younger generation,” said Elana Ostroff, Director of PJ Library. “Our tweens learned that they, too, play a crucial role in keeping these testimonies alive and carrying on the legacy of kindness and community.”
“Challah for Chesed was truly an opportunity for our community to come together. Watching the joy on the faces of the survivors and participants as they got to know each other and create connections while ‘baking’ a difference was priceless,” said Stephanie Nichol, March of the Living Director.
The success of Challah for Chesed reinforced the importance of creating spaces where younger generations can learn from their elders while engaging in traditions that promote compassion and togetherness.
For more information about PJ Our Way™, email [email protected] or visit jewishboca.org/departments/programs/pj-library/. To learn more about From March to Miriam, email [email protected] or visit jewishboca.org/departments/programs/mol/.
About PJ Library® in South Palm Beach County: PJ Library® in South Palm Beach County is made possible by generous support from the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Leon and Toby Cooperman Family Foundation, Jewish Women’s Foundation, and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. To learn more, visit www.jewishboca.org/pjlibrary.
About From March to Miriam: From March to Miriam is sponsored by a generous grant from the Jewish Women’s Foundation in cooperation with the March of the Living, Ruth & Norman Rales Family Services and the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.
About the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County
Established in 1979, the JFSPBC is made up of Jewish and social service organizations, synagogues, and schools that provide valued services and programs to recipients in South Palm Beach County, in Israel and around the world. The JFSPBC is also comprised of local residents, including lay leadership, volunteer, donors, professional staff, rabbis, educators, event participants and students. Situated on a 100-acre campus in west Boca Raton – the largest in the nation – the JFSPBC supports more than 70 beneficiaries, engages with more than 5,000 donors, and connects more than 130,000 residents. To learn more about how we contribute to a shared vision for the Jewish community, visit https://jfspbc.org or call 561.852.3100.