I'm really enjoying baking challah every week. It gives me a greater connection to my Judaism and the Jewish world. As someone living not only in the diaspora, but also feeling like I live in hamidbar, I have little connection to the Jewish world. No shul to attend every week unless I schlep to Vancouver. No one to sit by for Shabbat (other than DH and DD). It makes a girl feel pretty alone.
But baking challah has eased that a bit. I feel the generations running through me as I measure, stir, and knead. Every time I braid a challah I think of women doing this in modern day shtetls in places like New Square or Monsey, or Mea Shearim. I don't feel separate from them but I feel a part of them.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not totally happy. I do miss having that daily connection to Jewish life right outside my front door. But for now, baking challah is as close as I can get and it feels good. Shabbat Shalom.
No comments:
Post a Comment