Mega Challah Bake at the Picnic House

A bag of flour here, some eggs there, a package of yeast, salt, water … and what do you get? Eventually, delicious challah. And in one particular instance, lots and lots and lots of it.

That’s what will rise in bulk at the “300 Women Mega Challah on the Park,” on Thursday, May 14, at the Picnic House in Prospect Park.

The event is being sponsored by the Brownstone Brooklyn area Chabad Centers as an opportunity for women and girls (12 and older) from diverse backgrounds to come together and create something special.

Sara Briman, the chef from Hotel Encanto Acapulco in Mexico, whose challah won the American Academy of Hospitality Science’s five Star Diamond Award, will be teaching the art of making authentic challah. Sara feels it’s not a coincidence that her challah received the award and not her soufflé or pastries, she says Challah is not only a physical food but it’s a spiritual one too.

According to Kabbalistic teachings, says event organizer Chaya Hecht, every ingredient used in the making of challah “reflects a different foundation of spiritual energy and blessing.”

For instance, she explains, water represents the Torah. “So when we put in the water, we will focus on family, that G‑d should bless our families to follow in the ways and values of our Torah. Yeast represents growth because it expands, meaning your family should grow and expand—physically, spiritually and emotionally.”

The list goes on as the ingredients come together to provide blessing for joy (sugar), for material necessities such as a job or income (flour), for life and healthy children (eggs), and more.

“This isn’t just about a number and PR,” insists Esther Abramowitz, Chabad emissary to Fort Greene, and one of the event’s organizers. “It’s about what happens when women bake challah. Tradition teaches us the immense spiritual power that exists at the time of challah baking. At that time, a woman has the incredible potential to generate beautiful blessings for her family and community. Imagine what 300 women uniting at this auspicious moment to meditate and pray together can accomplish.”

In addition to simply baking twisted loaves to be eaten at the Shabbat table commonly known as challah, the women will be separating a portion of the dough (also called challah) to be burnt in accordance with the mitzvah of tithing. Taking challah serves as a reminder that whatever we are given is not for our own use alone.

This event is by reservation only, and on a first come basis.

Reservations and more information is available online at ChallahonthePark.com