ChallahFest Tour Reaches Seven Cities for First Time

Global ChallahFest moves beyond Israel borders for the first time this year. The seven-city tour begins in New York City on November 6. It runs through Chicago, Washington DC, Boston, and Atlanta. The itinerary crosses the Atlantic to London. The tour concludes in Tel Aviv on November 29.

Foodish, the culinary division of ANU Museum of the Jewish People, organizes the event. Merav Oren serves as founder and director. Oren stated that the festival aims to engage younger generations. She noted that a living culture requires active participation rather than memory alone. Challah functions as a medium for this engagement. It can serve as art, a party centerpiece, or a conversation starter.

The festival lineup features prominent figures in Jewish food. Jake Cohen, a cookbook author and television personality, joins the tour. Joan Nathan, an award-winning author, is also participating. Chef and restaurateur Einat Admony will appear at various stops. Cohen described the event as an invitation to personalize tradition through baking. He emphasized that sharing food builds community.

The New York opening includes a meet and greet with Cohen at William Greenberg Desserts. This event introduces the ChallahFest DIY Kit. The kit allows participants to creatively reinterpret the traditional loaf. An open Q&A with Joan Nathan is also scheduled. A Kabbalat Shabbat gathering led by Admony is part of the city program. Chef and DJ Falmer partners with Seed + Mill for a challah-inspired pop-up.

In Washington DC, a panel discussion addresses challah, culture, and identity. Chef Pati Jinich is scheduled to participate. Students in Boston compete in a baking contest. Local bakeries in Atlanta host tastings and community events. These activities connect local engagement to the festival theme.

The London program focuses on food and belonging. An intergenerational panel features food historian Claudia Roden and cookbook author Adeena Sussman. Falmer also joins this discussion. The conversation explores challah, home, and cultural identity across generations.

The tour ends at ANU in Tel Aviv. A photography exhibition by Sivan Roshianu and Alexander Zoon Lachnish is on display. The final weekend features bakeries including Mattarello, Ronale by Zohar, David Laor, and Russell's Bakery. These establishments present exclusive interpretations of the bread. Offerings range from Andalusian pastries and Tunisian good-luck challah to a Jewish French croissant.