Meet Randa, the Boss of Braided Bread

An interview with Randa Zimmerman, who gives back to her Jewish community by teaching others the tradition of baking challah.

To finish Women’s History Month strong, I wanted to rise to the occasion and feature my new friend, Randa, and her side hustle, Challah Back Baby. As much as I loaf challah, I don’t bake it very often, so it was fun to roll with Randa and hear about her business and her beautiful interpretations of this significant Shabbat bread. Doughn’t skip this interview; you’ll knead all her tips for your Shabbat dinners! Alright, enough of that… meet Randa!

What is Challah Back Baby?

Challah Back Baby is a baking workshop specifically for teaching how to bake challah. I not only teach how to make this traditional Jewish bread for Shabbat, but I also teach the significance behind challah baking. Twice a month, I host these workshops in synagogues, clubhouses, and other organizations, including one in my own home in Marlboro, New Jersey. There, in just two-hour classes, I lead a group in making challah and their very own challah covers with stencils and markers and napkin cloth.

I travel to people, mostly in New Jersey, but I’ve done one on Long Island. I pre-measure the ingredients and bring it into their home or organization. My biggest event was at a synagogue for 32 people. 

A lot of attendees are mothers who never make challah. Sometimes I bring champagne or tea to drink while making it. If they’re getting tipsy I’ll make a game out of it, like every time you add an ingredient take a drink. I teach them how to make different kinds: chocolate which tastes like a babka, jelly, strawberries and blueberries. Really anything that is sweet can go into it for a sweet week. After that I'll pour cinnamon sugar on top for an extra sweetness. Shabbat is bringing in light and sweetness. 

What is the significance of challah baking?

With challah baking, it’s a prayer. A prayer is made when you make a batch of dough. When making challah, you’re always giving a blessing to yourself but you’re also giving a blessing to someone that needs something, like if they’re sick and in need of healing. You keep the blessing in your mind when you’re putting the ingredients into the dough. The 10-15 minutes you spend preparing the dough is time you spend thinking about the person.

There’s symbolism – every ingredient means something. Take bowls, for example. What do our bowls mean? The bowl symbolizes a home; everything we put into our bowl symbolizes love and life, just like what we would want in our home. What’s water? Water is the purity in our lives. We should be thinking good thoughts when we’re in someone’s home or making bread.

Yeast means to rise; I am teaching people to rise to their fullest potential. Flour means coming together, which is what we do in these classes. Oil is a nod to the miracle of Chanukah, and to always believe. In my class, I say the miracle is that everyone came together today to make challah. Sugar is sweetness – to yourself first and then to others. Eggs mean fertility and could also mean making better lives, like someone is a bad egg, so how do you make them into a good egg? Salt represents the bitterness in our lives. A tiny bit of salt goes into the challah but you come away with something else. This asks: how can I make something in my life better?

How did you get into baking challah?

It started with my Hebrew school teacher. Years later, we were still in touch. She knew I was going through a hard time, contacted me, invited me over, and before I knew it, every Sunday we were making challah together. She introduced me to this beautiful tradition.

When I was making it all the time, I wondered how to give back to my community. I knew this was what I had to do and it makes me feel so good. Through Challah Back Baby, I’m teaching other women how to make an easier recipe. I make it so that I teach everyone to make two challahs (two because of the extra manna the Israelites received in the desert). My goal is to teach them how to make challah for others. It’s about giving back so the tradition can keep growing.

How did you grow up religiously?

I grew up keeping kosher and going to shul every Saturday. Shabbos was a big deal in my family. My mother is shomer Shabbos. She’s more religious, and I’m still religious. But she never made challah. Once I started making it, I taught her how to make it, and now she makes it once a month.

Can you share a challah-making tip?

Yes! Add a teaspoon of cinnamon into the dough before it rises to add sweetness. Another trick if you want that nice glazed look, take the yoke (not the egg white) and before you brush, add in a hint of vanilla extract.

What’s the significance of the challah cover and what are some of your favorites you’ve seen people make?

While the dough is rising, we make challah covers. You have about an hour for the dough to rise. You’re supposed to let it rise for two hours, but the whole class is two hours. We make it rise for about 50 mins and in that time I teach how to make a cover. 

I teach what it means – when the bride is walking down the aisle, she is covered by a veil. Under the chuppah, now both the bride and groom are covered. Everyone says how beautiful they are. Once they take off the veil, the beauty is now shown. Challah is the bride of Shabbat. When we take off its cover, we’re showing its beauty one last time. On our Shabbat tables, the challah is hearing all these blessings (over the candles, the wine) and is supposed to not be embarrassed – everything’s getting blessed and this will, too. 

The cover can also be used as a towelette to bring in love and light into your home. You’re not only making it for yourself but for your home or for someone else.

This is my way of doing more and being the best version of myself in my Jewish life, especially with everything that’s going on in the world. What are you doing to give back to the world?

And lastly, what are your Shabbat plans this week? I hope it involves challah!

I have recently moved to Harrison, NJ with my significant other. Shabbos has been a big deal for us since we moved in. I make soup and a chicken dish with a salad, veggies, and of course, handmade challah. This Shabbos we’ll be making a honey-glazed salmon with vegetables and plantains. I figured the spring months are on their way so I decided to make something sweet for a sweet spring to come soon. We will be saying blessings over the wine, challah, and Shabbat candles to bring in life, light, and beauty this Shabbat. 

Facebook: @challahbackbaby
Instagram: @challahbackbaby

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