Community Magazine January 2019

68 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE CHALLAH BAKE ELLEN GELLER KAMARAS T hat is exactly what our very own Linda Sadacka, the modest, vibrant and big-hearted founder of MOMS on a Mitzvah (“MOMS”), thought of when she arranged for the fifth annual MOMS Challah Bake on November 28 th , 2018. Linda created MOMS in 2012 as a grassroots hesed group to help a critically ill child receive life-saving medication. MOMS grew into an organization that initiates life-enhancing, life-extending, and life-saving activities. Projects span from providing food and clothing for those in need, organizing community events, and even arranging medical transfers of patients to top hospitals. Vital services include spiritual support for a refuah shelama in the form of tehillim and berachot campaigns, hafrashat challah , organizing shiurim given by respected rabbis, and counter-terrorism education and advocacy. Each year’s extravaganza has a unique theme or recipe. This year’s goal and theme were to unite women in this huge mitzvah by baking with their favorite community personalities. The stars/ influencers were asked by Linda to walk around the room and mingle with the guests, giving them kneading and baking tips. In the past, there were women on stage leading the Challah Bake. Linda wanted to convey the message that Jewish women can become whatever they aspire to be and still display tzniut , modesty. Linda loves uniting women from different facets of the community, and is inspired by their dough preparation and saying berachot together. The 2018 Challah Bake took place at the Sephardic Community Center. The Center generously hosted the gala. Linda intentionally chose to hold the event in the evening instead of the late morning in order to allow working women to attend and to encourage mothers of young children to be present. Many women also brought their school-age children to the bake. At the Challah Bake I met a family with three generations represented: the grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter. The event was not only sold out but was also overbooked! “Calls kept coming in and I tried to make more room,” said Linda. The 2018 Bake was dedicated in memory of Miriam (“Mimi”) Chammah, a”h , and Naomi Houllou, a”h , and for a refuah shelemah for Yehudit bat Miriam. Mimi, a beloved MOMS member, tragically passed away in 2017 at age 28. Baking challah inMimi’s memory was particularly meaningful, as she almost single-handedly organized the second MOMS Challah Bake. Linda described Mimi lovingly as a personable, authentic, kind, talented, and dedicated person, and a powerhouse to boot, who brought her little girls to hesed missions. Naomi Houllou, a”h , was also a very young mother with a large family. She was passionately devoted to Yeshiva of Flatbush PTA, Ladies Auxiliary, and numerous hesed efforts in the community. Her husband Avi was one of the Challah Bake sponsors. The family of Yehudit bat Miriam generously donated hundreds of high-quality fabric aprons (instead of disposable ones provided at past events) for the Challah Bake. MOMS member Golda Bekhar was again the Challah Bake event planner, and was responsible for the beautiful venue, décor, set up, attendee check in, and more. This year’s affair included live coverage by @jews_of_ny and a live feed on Instagram by kosher. com, the authority for kosher recipes. The Challah Bake sponsors were: @junees, @mattsmunchies, @wondermillsflour, and Dr. Jack Sadacka’s medical office. MOMS 2018 DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD BAKE CHALLAH WITH THE STARS? @theghettogourmet @such.a.betty @chagit_leviev @claudiaathome Volunteer Roster @emilymassrychalli_n_biscotti @valour_mag @malkys_media @michellemozes @rachel.ostroy @thebees_kitchen @platesandpetals @moms_on_a_mitzvah @kosherdotcom @jewsofnewyork @nechamamusic @kaysinthekitchen