Family’s matzah-baking tradition

Helen Hoffman of Kew Gardens Hills and four generations of her family (from Lakewood and Monsey as well as KGH) continued their 20-year-old tradition of baking their own Pesach matzah by hand, producing 30 pounds at the Charadim Matzah Bakery in Borough Park.

The littlest family baker, 3-year-old Sholom, rolled out dough, which his older brothers carefully (and quickly!) brought to the oven. The custom of chaburah comes from Eastern Europe, where the men baked the matzah for their families.

Because of the appetites they worked up from all that matzah baking, the family went out for dinner afterwards, to one of their favorite restaurants, Essen on Coney.