Once upon a time, a Ukrainian-Canadian professor named Sasha lived in the vibrant city of Kamloops. While Kamloops started getting more Ukrainian products thanks to FreshCo, Sasha missed his homeland’s familiar tastes and traditions, especially during Easter.
On Maundy Thursday, Natalia from New Brunswick sent a Facebook message featuring Challah, a sweet bread he enjoyed back in Ukraine. The message from a store in Moncton, NB, read: “Starting tomorrow, we will also have Challah (pronounced haa•luh) available until Saturday for $12. Challah is traditionally served during Jewish holidays; however, with its rich, slightly sweet flavour, shiny golden crust, and pillowy interior, it’s a bread that is enjoyed at all kinds of gatherings”.
Sasha shared with Natalia that sometimes he could find Challah in Sobeys in Halifax but not in Kamloops. Touched by Sasha’s nostalgia, Natalia embarked on a quest to find Challah in Kamloops, hoping to surprise Sasha with a taste of home.
Despite her best efforts, when she searched online, Natalia couldn’t find Challah in local bakeries. Undeterred, she expanded her search to nearby cities and discovered that a bakery in West Kelowna offered the elusive loaf.
Sasha, a true researcher at heart, had also been on a mission to find Challah in Kamloops. He scoured the local farmers’ markets, created a list of all local bakeries and even considered learning to bake the bread himself. However, his search proved fruitless as local markets are still closed in Kamloops, and he resigned himself to the fact that Challah might be a rare find in his new home at Easter time. However, he tried to make a few paska bread he recently observed being made in the Hills of Peace workshop. He shared a few paska with local community members, warning that his paska-making skills are at the beginning of mastery.
As Easter Sunday approached, Sasha was busy packing for an upcoming trip to Panama. Amidst the hustle and bustle, a car entered his driveway. It revealed unexpected visitors—his friends Silvia and Mary, bearing a freshly baked Challah loaf and a few more Easter goodies.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Sasha listened as Silvia shared how she had kneaded prayers and blessings into the dough, knowing how much the bread meant to him. At that moment, Sasha reminded himself that the true miracle of Easter lay not in the bread itself but in the kindness and love of his friends.
Though Challah may be hard to find in Kamloops, Sasha discovered that the warmth and generosity of his community in person and online could bridge the gap between his old and new homes. With a heart full of gratitude, he shared the Challah with Mama, celebrating the beauty of community and the joy of Easter traditions, old and new.
And so, the Challah Easter Miracle became a testament to the power of human connection, reminding Sasha that no matter where life takes him, the love and support of friends, family and community can make any place feel like home.
Khrystos Voskres Christ is Risen. Thank you for making this Easter very special and for sharing the teaching of Challah!
