Promoting harmony over challah

FOLLOWING a successful pilot in December, Breaking Challah is back, and calling on you to invite non-Jewish guests to your Shabbat dinner on September 9 in a bid to break down barriers and promote tolerance.

The initiative was created by local artist Justine Kuran, who was “bullied mercilessly” at school in Brisbane for being Jewish.

“Recently my (non-Jewish) best friend from school reminded me how she used to come to my home for the occasional Shabbat. Over the years whenever someone mentions Jews in any derogatory way, she talks about her experiences and how open and kind my family were,” Kuran explained of the impetus behind Breaking Challah.

“When we offer this experience to a person, we don’t just shift their mind but the minds of countless others too. The snowball effect lasts for years and has enormous reach,” she enthused.

Last year, approximately 15 families took part, and this year has seen three times that number register so far, with Kuran noting that many more families are still to do so.

Read the story by Phoebe Roth in the Australian Jewish News.