Flour, Faith, & Family: A Beautiful Night At Ohr Chana’s Mother–Daughter Challah Bake

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A heartfelt celebration of Jewish womanhood, unity, and tradition in Forest Hills.

This past month, Ohr Chana High School’s annual Mother–Daughter Challah Bake brought together more than 200 mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and teachers for an evening filled with warmth, meaning, and joyful connection at the Bukharian Jewish Community Center in Forest Hills, Queens. From the moment guests entered the beautifully arranged hall — where tables were set with bowls of flour, sugar, yeast, oil, eggs, and water — the atmosphere radiated tradition, family, and anticipation.

The program opened with a hearty dinner, giving families time to settle in and enjoy one another’s company before transitioning into the formal portion led by the dedicated 12th-grade student events team. A heartfelt communal Perek Tehillim was then recited for the safety of Eretz Yisrael and am Yisrael, setting a unified and spiritual tone for the night. Principal Mrs. Wolowik delivered warm remarks, thanking the mothers and daughters for celebrating a mitzvah that highlights the unique spiritual role of Jewish women. She expressed deep gratitude to program directors Leba and Mushka, Mrs. Khaimov, and the student committee for crafting such a thoughtful and meaningful event.

Rabbi Asher Vaknin followed with an uplifting dvar Torah on the parshat hashavua, weaving together the legacy of Sarah Imeinu and the spiritual leadership of Jewish women within the home. He left the crowd inspired with a resonant message: “Don’t show Hashem how big your problem is; show your problem how big Hashem is.”

The heart of the evening began when 11th-grader Pnina Itzackov and her mother invited everyone to join them in preparing the challah dough. Together they explained the spiritual significance behind each ingredient and demonstrated how to combine them step-by-step. As families rolled up their sleeves and mixed their dough, the room filled with a palpable sense of unity and shared purpose. Pnina added a personal story about her connection to the mitzvah, giving the moment an emotional depth that touched the entire audience.

While the dough was set aside to rise, the student choir performed a moving “Challah Bake Song” celebrating the beauty of hafrashat challah. The energy in the room rose even further during a lively Jeopardy-style mother–daughter game. With categories like Jewish Women of History and Bukharian Culture, four teams competed enthusiastically, adding laughter, excitement, and a spirit of friendly competition to the evening.

Throughout the night, participants were encouraged to take on a new mitzvah — calling a grandparent before Shabbat, enhancing the Shabbat table with inspiring divrei Torah, or adding another act of kindness to their weekly routine. Each commitment earned a raffle ticket. The grand prize, a mother–daughter dinner at an upscale restaurant, was awarded to Daniella Khaimov. Every family also received a personalized oven mitt prepared by the 12th-grade event heads — a thoughtful keepsake to remember the evening.

As the spiritual energy reached its peak, Mrs. Leah Maksumov recited the bracha of hafrashat challah, offering an insightful explanation of its deeper meaning. She spoke about the power of joy in creating shalom bayit and shared a beautiful teaching that the gematria of “Amen” equals “malach,” symbolizing that each blessing sends forth a protective angel. The lights dimmed as the entire room made the bracha together, creating a moment of holiness that many described as unforgettable. Candles were also lit in memory of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess, adding an additional layer of spiritual connection.

Holding their beautifully braided challahs ready for baking, mothers and daughters left the event inspired and uplifted, carrying with them a renewed sense of unity, tradition, and the timeless strength of Jewish womanhood. It was an evening that beautifully honored heritage, community, and the unbreakable bonds between generations.