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

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