LA Junior Highs Unite to Bake

Bais Rebbe Jr. High was buzzing with excitement shortly after the school year began. In honor of Vov Tishrei, a Mother and Daughter Mega Challah Bake was scheduled for all Jr. High girls in Los Angeles and their moms.

The girls acted as Shluchos, racing to see how many guests each girl could invite. Representatives visited the local schools in the weeks before with fliers and were met with an enthusiastic response at Toras Emes, Darko, Etz Jacob, Bais Tzivia, and Yavneh as well as encouraging their friends from Ohr Eliyahu, Hillel and Public School to join as well.

Years ago, the Rebbe blessed the first graduating class of Bais Chaya Mushka in a unique letter that they should be “Neiros Le’hair”, lamps which illuninate.

The Rebbe’s vision was clearly seen as the girls prepared for the event, and compiled a beautiful booklet for the event explaining the deeper meaning of challah and sharing inspiring stories.

The night before the event, girls were at school with one of their amazing teachers and their incredible B’nos Chabad heads, Miss Chaya Zirkind, Miss Sarah Elharrar and Miss Chanie Mentz, pre-packaging ingredients and building the beautiful centerpieces.

Girls in all different styles of uniforms were seen on Pico Blvd. Tuesday night, approaching Schneerson Square with thier moms. They were greeted warmly and given a special welcome kit. At the event itself, the crowd was led in Tehillim by Rebbetzin Odel Miriam Cunin, the Rebbe’s Shlucha to the West Coast. A beautiful video of the Rebbe was shown and then the crowd was guided by the Bais Rebbe girls themselves in preparing the recipe. Each ingredient was introduced by a different girl who connected the ingredient to a different bracha to daven for:

Sara Newman introduced the yeast and asked everyone to daven for Hashem’s constant protection as hinted in the hebrew word for yeast – Shemarim. Simi Broner davened that the warmth of Torah be constantly in our lives as represented by the warm water. Next, Sharon Shashoua led us in asking that the brachos that Hashem give us be openly sweet and good like sugar. Bina Stauber reminded us to pray for those who are in need of the bracha of children as represented by the eggs. She also demonstrated how to check an egg to make sure it is kosher. Chaya Solika Garbose begged that Hashem’s shechina should rest upon us as it did on the keilim which were annointed with oil. Simcha is the foundation of a Jewish life just as flour is the foundation of the dough was what Chani Sulami shared as she poured in the flour. Finally, Chana Cohen told us about the salt which was used in korbanos, strengthening our belief that indeed we will be bringing korbanos any moment again.

As the dough was given time to rise, the crowd was treated to an inspiring musical presentation by Mrs. Menucha Schochet, who intertwined stories and song about Teshuva and Rebbetzin Chana.

Chaya Spalter from Bais Rebbe and Leila Balter from the Chabad of Beverlywood BMC were then called up to lead us in the bracha of hafrashas challah. After they recited the bracha, Leila sang a beautiful rendition of Yehi Ratzon and introduced her new CD which she sells to benefit a humanitarian aid organization in Eretz Yisroel.

The evening ended with joyous dancing, definitely bringing in the many brachos which were davened for… in the zechus of hafrashas challah, strong achdus, and noshim tzidkonios!

May we be zoche to bring our challos once again to the Bais Hamikdash with the coming of Moshiach NOW.