Shabbat Shalom my beautiful friends around the world. I want to thank you for the amazing outpouring of love and kindness you showered me with on my mom’s first yartzeit. It made a very emotional day a whole lot lighter. Thank you for this. Each of you is so special to me and I wish only blessings for you.

Last year my mom’s shiva period fell over the shabbos project. In fact one of the nights of prayers I almost couldn’t pull together a minion. Most of the dads were looking after kids while 4,000 challahs got baked at the Johannesburg challah bake a few blocks from my mom’s home.

That Friday we had no less than 45 challahs dropped off at the house. Such is the strength and love of the Jewish community in South Africa. And on Saturday night I listened to the horas and dancing from my mom’s garden as the #shabbosproject came to an end.

I thought how special it was to be sitting shiva for her when so many jews around the world were keeping shabbos. I also felt like she had carved out some quiet time for me to spend with Hashem and my beautiful sister Justine. And for the past year, I’ve baked a challah every week and tried my best to keep shabbos.

I’m still a work in progress, but every shabbos I get better and I look forward to it each and every week… What I didn’t realize last year, is that my mom’s yahrzeit would fall on the annual Challah Bake. Something started by the amazing Jewish community in South Africa is now celebrated in 40 countries around the world.

Last night I had the pleasure and privilege of baking challahs alongside my precious daughter Jade and my beautiful best friend and rock Edva Sims and her 2 gorgeous girls at the Los Angeles event. They even made a brocha for my mom Elke Raizels aliyah.

I know her neshama felt all the love from all over the world. You were a huge part of this. I want to wish you all an incredible, meaningful, and special shabbos.

I am blessed to have you as my family. And I wish only blessings for you and yours. I love you so much