22 | SEPTEMBER 26 • 2024 
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rom the right skip four, from the left 
skip two, twist three and four, repeat. 
Over and over, about 150 challah 
baking enthusiasts echoed these meditative-
like instructions as taught by Tel Aviv native 
Idan Chabasov (aka “The Challah Prince) 
at a community challah baking workshop 
Sunday, Sept. 6, at Congregation Beth Ahm 
in West Bloomfield. 
Though many in the social hall were 
experienced challah bakers, all agreed 
that Chabasov’s intricate challah rolling 
and braiding techniques with four, six and 
even 11 strands of dough made all feel like 
novices. 
Congregation Beth Ahm promoted the 
special event throughout the summer as a 
way to usher in Elul, the preparatory month 
on the Jewish calendar that leads up to the 
High Holidays. 
“This brings challah making 
up to a whole other level,” said 
Congregation Beth Ahm’s Rabbi 
Steven Rubenstein as he sat with 
his family trying his hand at the 
six-stranded braiding technique. 
Participants also learned a four-
stranded method and a round 
challah created by a basket 
weave method. 
“This is exactly what we had in mind 
when we planned this event,” said Rabbi 
Rubenstein, who makes challah at home each 
week before Shabbat. “This is a great way 
for the community to start the High Holiday 
season and prepare for Rosh Hashanah. It 
is close enough to the High Holidays that 
I think people will retain what we learned 
here and then try this at home for the High 
Holidays.” 
Before he gave his presentation, Chabasov 
retold how he survived Oct. 7 while camping 
in the Negev about a half-hour drive from 

the site of the Nova music festival. From a 
distance, he could hear the music stop and 
there were orders at first to pack up and 
flee, and then to stay put because no one 
knew where the terrorists were headed. After 
six hours, they were allowed to leave to go 
home, unaware at the time of how lucky they 
were to escape the massacres. 

150 baking enthusiasts gather at Congregation Beth Ahm.

Rabbi 
Steven 
Rubenstein

STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER PHOTOS BY STACY GITTLEMAN

OUR COMMUNITY

Learning 
from the Challah Prince

Idan 
Chabasov

Sari 
Blackman

continued on page 24

