24 | SEPTEMBER 26 • 2024 

Michael and 
Steven Stryk

“During those first few days, I 
was shocked and just froze up,” 
Chabasov recalled. “I couldn’t bake. 
I couldn’t even speak or sleep.” 
Then, he reminded himself of the 
first days of the pandemic and of 
the comfort and purpose he got out 
of baking, so he set out to work. 
Chabasov and his crew began to 
bake 300 challot every Shabbat to 
deliver to soldiers fighting in Gaza. 
Each week, he created a new shape 
and a new braiding technique. 
Now, the Instagram sensation with 
503K followers is touring North 
America, visiting different Jewish 
communities to share his message 
of Jewish unity and finding peace 
through meditating and baking. 
Chabasov asked all in the room 
to shape and then bake their challot 
in the memory and merit of those 
who were killed on Oct. 7 and in 

the hope of rescuing the remaining 
hostages. 
Every participant received a ball 
of dough donated by Dakota Bread. 
Chabasov offered his baking and 
shaping tips, including how to create 
the perfect ball of dough by using 
a kitchen scale to weigh out each 
ball of dough, shaping the round 
ball before rolling out a strand and, 
if desired, how to flavor the strands 
with a generous coating of sesame 
seeds. 
Chabasov said from the first time 
he baked a challah while living 
among the Israeli community in 
Berlin, he fell in love with it. 
“Nothing tastes better than 
the challah you make yourself,” 
Chabasov said. “There is no one 
perfect recipe for challah dough, but 
the most important ingredient is the 
love you put into the baking.” 

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OUR COMMUNITY