Four Courts at Cherokee Park embraced the uniqueness of its Jewish heritage by having a model Matzah bakery on Thursday, April 14. Around 25 Jewish and non-Jewish residents learned how to make Matzah.
Local Chabad Rabbi Boruch Susman, who is the interfaith chaplin and director of the kosher kitchen at Four Courts along with Chabad Rabbi Chaim Litvin led the demonstration on how Shmurah Matzah is made.
Donning their baker’s hats they started from scratch, threshing and winnowing natural wheat stalks and separating the wheat from the chaff. The brittle wheat is crushed, which separates the whole wheat grains from the near-weightless chaff almost immediately.
Next the accumulated wheat grain is collected into rustic hand-driven millstones that really had the look and weight of those used 1000 years ago. The rabbis competed to transform the wheat to flour. The whole flour was then sifted and separated into extra fine flour and wheat germ.
Then the residents joined the fun, mixing the flour and water into Matzah dough, which they then kneaded and rolled out. Using special Matzah perforators, they riddled the dough with holes and rushed the Matzot to the ‘brick’ oven while under an 18-minute clock to complete the task.
Of course, enjoying the finished product was truly enjoyed by all, and stories of past traditions and family stories were shared completing a wonderful experience.
Four Courts is the only rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility to offer Kosher meals prepared on site.
{gallery}Community/2011/050611/MatzahBakery{/gallery}