Friendship Circle of Central Jerusalem hosted its second annual Grand Matzah Bake this Sunday at the First Station in Jerusalem.
Friendship Circle connects teen volunteers with children and youth with special needs for camaraderie and inclusion. The Matzah Bake was intended to go a step further and bring the friendship of these two groups of society into the community and have them join in with shared friendly activity all together.
This year was titled the “World Record Marathon Matzah Bake.” Families from all over and around Jerusalem were invited to join the Friendship Circle in making the biggest Matzah you have ever seen within only two hours!
The event began with live music by the Solomon Brothers while around 300 guests flooded in to the First Station for the program. Children of all ages and abilities enjoyed cool Pesach arts and crafts with the help of their parents and our amazing Friendship Circle volunteers. The crowd then sat back to watch the famous “Mayim Shelanu Show!” A fun and humorous act, it kept everyone thoroughly entertained!
When the pizza and ice cream stand opened, the excitement heightened. Children lined up for firsts…. and seconds of some of their last tastes of delicious chometz before Pesach. Now it was time to roll up sleeves, and make the world’s longest matzah!
The longest Matzah recorded to date was created by Manischewitz, measuring 7.29 by 1.05 meters. So, the challenge was to break that record with 75 kilos of dough brought in from Herbies Bakery.
“We have two hours to make the longest matzah you have ever seen!” the MC, Nachman announced, “Ready, set, GO!” Children, parents, and volunteers all ran to the table to start rolling out dough. Each child got to roll out two matzahs! Once they completed one Matzah, they quickly ran to the HUGE wire grid to connect their dough to create one giant matzah. With the second piece of dough, each child got to roll, hole and bake their very own matzah.
Dignitaries, Ofer Berkovitch and Fleur Hassan-Nahoum of the Jerusalem Municipality, joined us and shared warm words of encouragement while joining in the Matzah Bake efforts.
When the matzah was near to completion, guests of every age and every ability joined forces to add every last piece of dough to the grid! The time then came to measure and bake the matzah! All watched in awe as the MASSIVE piece of dough turned into a MASSIVE matzah with the help of numerous volunteers and a blow torch! The matzah was measured at 7.5 by 2 meters. Surely the biggest matzah upon which any Jersualmite would have set his/her eyes!
It’s so nice to see the forgotten children being included in our customs and traditions, Kol hakovod to the Canterman’s for making such nice events even though they have no idea how they will cover the costs, true mesiras nefesh, also nice to do Toivois to people who can’t say thank you, true chesed.
Kol Hakovoid, Chag Someach,
Shloi
Only Chani could put up such a special event where EVERTONE (all ages and all abilities) can participate and have a good time. It was educational, inspiring and fun.
We are so happy we were there and took part in baking the huge mattzah.
Chag Same’ach!
Chabad of Talbiye – just continue to keep breaking records in Yiddishkeit to bring Moshiach!
What a beautiful message delivered at this well attended – mega Event-lekoved Pesach.
Bringing families together with love and warmth – all orchestrated by the FC , led by Rabbi Eli and Chanale Canterman .
Proud to be your neighbors – and your close friends -Chag Sameach to all of Klal yisrael
Eli and Yitty Glaser
This is truly a beautiful and fun event, Chani. What a matza! The expressions say so much…. “we are neshamot tovot, we were at Sinai, we are joyful to be Jews , we attach to HaShem through mitzvot. ” What a meaningful work you all are doing . from Rahel, Susie H’s friend…
I am deeply moved to see the friendship and joy brought to these special needs children who in turn, give even more back to those who reach out to and are touched by them.
What s a great event for all of Jerusalem!Yishar Coakh to Chani Canterman and Rabbi Eli Canterman, the Chabad shlikhim to Talbiye,Jerusalem for their love, mesirat nefesh, and extraordinary ability to do events on the highest level and brings Jews close to each other and to Torah!
Was the manishewitz matza kosher lpesach?
I always thought the blowtorch was for kashering the oven. .. now I see it IS the oven. Looks like they had a wonderful time. Kol hakavod, and a kosher and freilichen pesach to all
But can’t you just make the longest matza in a machine matza factory and not cut the matzos to size but instead leave it as one long piece?