Community MagazineOctober 2021

42 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Woman Woman to One on One ELLEN GELLER KAMARAS I love what I do, I am a total foodie and thrive in the kitchen. I am always trying out new dishes and I don’t follow recipes. I take Syrian foods and substitute some of the ingredients to make them healthier. with Jacqueline Elbaz What a treat to meet Jacqueline, a chef and the founder of her own catering business, Stuffffed. Jacqueline Elbaz, née Tawil, is the daughter of Debbie Dweck Tawil and Morris Tawil, a”h, both of Syrian descent. Her beloved father, Morris, passed away last summer. Jacqueline fondly recalled how her friends would bump into her parents in the neighborhood and tell her how open and friendly they were. Jacqeline’s father was very proud of his great-grandfather, Hacham Chaim Tawil, a”h , and he incorporated his great- grandfather’s love of Torah into his own life. Jacqueline is the oldest of three children. She is close with both her sister Laura, a NY speech therapist, and her brother Hymie, who lives in Colorado. As we spoke, I realized that it was so easy to chat with Jacqueline. I found her to be lively, warm, energetic, genuine, and super down-to-earth. GROWING UP Jacqueline attended Magen David Yeshivah for both elementary and high school. She says she was an okay student and was a friendly and outgoing child and teen. “I marched to the beat of my own drum and didn’t fit the mold. Most of my closest friends are my childhood friends, the ones I’ve had for over 30 years. I went to college briefly, but it wasn’t for me.” Family has always been a key element in Jacqueline’s life. When referring to her childhood and teen years, she lovingly spoke of her grandparents and great-grandparents and great-aunt, in addition to her parents and siblings. “Both my parents worked very hard to provide for the family.” A fun fact: The cookbook, Aromas of Aleppo: The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews, features a picture of Jacqueline’s great-grandmother holding her brother Hymie at his brit milah. Jacqueline lived upstairs from her mother’s grandmother until she was 18 years old. She passed away on Jacqueline’s 21st birthday. “I got my inspirations and recipes from Grandma Esses.” Her Great Aunt Esther was the one who came up with the name of her business, Stuffffed. MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN In 2004, Jacqueline was introduced to her naseeb , Sion Elbaz, by his cousin. Sion is of Moroccan, Egyptian, and Syrian descent. Sion is also from Brooklyn and is two years older than Jacqueline. His maternal grandfather, Rabbi Sion Masalton, zt”l, was the Rabbi of Ahi Ezer Congregation and was a pillar of the Sephardic community. “I was going on shidduch dates but didn’t feel pressured to get married. I was fortunate to go on Birthright’s program to Israel before I met Sion and I made some wonderful and diverse friends.” The newlyweds remained in Brooklyn and have four children, a daughter fifteen, a son, thirteen, and two younger girls, nine and seven. Jacqueline lights up when she talks about her family. She calls herself the bad cop and Sion, who travels for business, the good cop and fun parent. Both keen on spirituality, the couple chose Yeshiva Derech Eretz when the yeshiva was just starting out. They are thrilled with the school’s hashkafa, mission, and the positive influence it has had on the kids. Jacqueline is also grateful YDE has a day camp where her oldest child, Judy, worked this past summer while her siblings were campers. “Our kids are happy, confident, and do well in school. They have good values and don’t ask for big-ticket items or designer clothes.” BECOMING A CHEF How did Jacqueline start her business? Several events and circumstances influenced Jacqueline’s decision to create Stuffffed. First, she is crystal clear in declaring that food makes her happy. She has a healthy relationship with food, and she and her children are willing to experiment and try new things. For as long as Jacqueline can remember she taught her friends how to fill a freezer. “My friends and I cooked and froze food and filled the freezer when we were nine months pregnant. I always cooked for girls’ nights out.” When her oldest was seven, around eight years ago, Jacqueline decided to - Jacqueline Elbaz