Jewish students from the Fashion Institute of Technology went from designing clothing to baking bread as they distributed homemade challah to senior citizens at the nearby Penn South housing complex.
The students worked the night before to prepare challah, a traditional Jewish food served on Shabbat.
The challah distribution prompted some warm exchanges. Adiel Zakarya, an FIT student, embraced Hilda Aronson, a senior at Penn South.
“We were hugging and crying together. She’s sad about she lost her grandmother and I’m worried about how my granddaughter is going to feel when I’m gone,” said Aronson.
“It made me very sensitive. I broke down in someone’s arms and you know it’s crazy because last night yeast was flying. I got flour all over me and I messed up my first challah,” said Zakarya.
The event was one of 10 challah bakes organized in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester and Long Island by the UJA-Federation of New York.
