Book a Live Event Challah Artistry: A Journey of Tradition & Creativity
Imagine a gathering at your synagogue or organization where the threads of tradition and creativity intertwine. Freddie Feldman, also known as The Dorky Jew, is a Skokie, IL based storyteller and artist of challah, the bread that has graced our tables and rituals for generations.
Freddie will take your community on a journey through the art of challah, from a single strand to a beautifully braided masterpiece. We’ll explore his personal narrative, uncover the layers of challah’s history, enjoy a live braiding demonstration, and then conclude with an engaging Q&A to tie it all together.
Having spoken at numerous events nationwide and even a TED talk in Vienna, and performed for 10 years in the Jewish a cappella group Listen Up!, Freddie brings a wealth of experience to the table—or the challah board, in this case.
Highlights
Commissioned challah for Nickelodeon, Sam Manson from Danny Phantom for Jewish American Heritage Month.
Collaborative post on Instagram, the Ukrainian Trident, with actor Joshua Malina to raise over $5k for World Central Kitchen.
This week I baked a Bob Belcher challah! Gotta keep moving on completing my set of Bob’s Burgers character challahs (see: Linda, Gene, and Louise). I even made my own Burger of the Day (I do OK with the photoshop). They did a few challah-themed burgers on the show including a “Home for the Challah-Days Burger” but I like mine better. Bob is seriously one awesome guy and voiced by the amazing H. Jon Benjamin (@jazzdaredevil). You know who’s not so awesome, the guy who played Jimmy Pesto Sr (I’m not sayin’, I’m just sayin’). Okay, hold down the fort, I gotta drop a potato in the crockpot...Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #BobsBurgers #BobBelcher #BurgerOfTheDay #BobsBurgersFanArt #BobsBurgersFan ...
This week I baked a Kamala Harris challah. It’s Challalah, y’all!!! I had planned all along to make this challah and I’m sticking to it, though I was hoping it would be under different circumstances. I based my challah on this amazing poster designed by @westvillagefamous and illustrated by @jkroik. When we fight, we win. Sometimes the fight takes a while, that doesn’t mean we won’t win. Thank you for your valiant effort, Mamala. Kol hakavod and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #KamalaHarris #JoyfulWarrior #mamala #crushed ...
This week I baked a GO VOTE challah! Koool, there are just merely an astounding few long and anxious days left in this election and it’s super-important to exercise your right to vote. I’m not going to tell you who you should vote for, that’s up to you. BUT, you need to get out there and do it. My challah design was inspired by @primepartofficial’s yard sign with Schoolhouse Rock’s charming voting booth. GO VOTE and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #vote #GetOutAndVote #RockTheVote #ElectionDay #election #SchoolhouseRock #USelections #PrimeParty ...
This week I baked a Venom challah! This time of year, I usually make a scary-ish challah (hey, it’s Challahween next week). I think the Marvel villain Venom is particularly terrifying (especially to eat those spikey challah teeth! UGH) and there’s a new movie that opened yesterday “Venom: The Last Dance.” On another note: Today was the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, the last of high holidays this season. It’s typically a very joyous holiday, but this year, it’s a particularly difficult anniversary for us. Again we charge on and do our best to spread joy and love, against all odds. Chag sameach and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #venom #VenomTheLastDance #marvel #MarvelFanArt #mcu #SimchatTorah #HighHolidays #JewishHighHolidays ...
This week I baked a Pooh Gets Stuck challah! Winnie the Pooh is really just the best. But why did I make this challah this week? OK, follow me here...this week is the holiday Sukkot. Rabbi Yael (@midrashmanicures) so humorously noted that on some poorly designed products, the Hebrew word for Sukkot was spelled backwards (Hebrew reads right to left, sillies). When you spell it backwards, it spells...TUCHUS...the Yiddish word for BUTT. So I racked my brain trying to think of a butt-related challah to make, one that was fairly innocuous. I was going to make Pooh’s butt sticking out of Rabbit’s House door, but it didn’t look like much. This is a much better scene. Oh bother! ALSO, it’s a particularly celebratory Sukkot right now, so chag sameach to all who celebrate and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #pooh #WinnieThePooh #PoohCorner #PoohGetsStuck #disney #sukkot #JewishHolidays #HighHolidays ...
This week I baked a Biscuits the Seal challah! I’m continuing my series of cute famous animals from social media with this adorable baby seal rescue at the VA Marine Mammal Rescue Society in Vancouver. It’s also the start of Yom Kippur tonight, our most important high holiday of the year. Hopefully, all of you who are fasting tomorrow will have an easy fast (after eating a lot of challah today!), g’mar chatimah tovah, and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #biscuits #BiscuitsTheSeal #BiscuitsSeal #seal #seals #SeaLife #FamousAnimals #VAMarineMammalRescueSociety #AnimalRescue #YomKippur #JewishHighHolidays ...
This week I baked a Pesto the Penguin challah! It’s Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and we typically make a round challah that symbolizes the circular nature of the year. There’s nothing more round and awesome than Pesto! If you don’t know who he is, Pesto is a massive penguin chick born at the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. At 9mo old, he weighed as much as a 6yr old human. Last week, I made a Moo Deng challah, but this week we get a different type of cute and cuddly animal to fawn over. Pesto is the fluffy chonk we need right now. L’shana Tovah and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #pesto #PestoPenguin #PestoThePenguin #FamousAnimals #sealifeMelbourneaquarium ...
This week I baked a Moo Deng challah! She’s just the cutest, most famous pygmy hippo you’ve ever seen. Moo Deng lives in Thailand and her name means “Bouncy Pork”...because of course it does. She’s all roly-poly and slippery and she bites and she’s adorable! Squishy, just like challah. Also, I’m hoping for safety for everyone caught in the path of Helene this week. Stay safe and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #MooDeng #MooDengFan #pygmyhippo #hurricane #HurricaneHelene #helene #FamousAnimals @moodengfan ...
This week I baked a Mufasa challah! With the passing of the incomparable James Earl Jones last week, I had to make another challah based on a character he voices to honor his memory (SEE: Darth Vader challah). There’s a new Mufasa movie coming out in December, it looks like a pretty interesting CGI prequel to The Lion King (reserving judgment until Dec). I based my challah design on the very cool Mufasa shirt from @fifthsunofficial. Check them out, no connection, I’m just a fan. I hope my braids were able to capture even a bit of his majestic gaze. Everything the challah touches is our kingdom...Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #mufasa #LionKing #TheLionKing #JamesEarlJones #DisneyArt #disney #MufasaTheLionKing #AaronPierre #FifthSunOfficial #FifthSun @thelionking @lionking ...
This week I baked an Apple logo challah! This past Monday was one of my favorite days of the year, Apple Announcement Day or iPhone Day. For like 15 years, I’ve had a ritual where I get lunch from my favorite shawarma place near my house, plop down in front of the TV, and see what those crazies at Apple have for us this year. Sadly, the announcement this year was pretty snoozy. But I’m hopeful for next year. Think different and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #apple #AppleComputers #iphone #iphoneDay #applekeynote #appleannouncement #newiphone #TimeApple #TimCook #SteveJobs ...
This week I baked a Beetlejuice challah! I’m excited to see the new Beetlejuice sequel, which is coming out tonight. The original is really one of the best movies ever made and can’t help but wait to see where they take this next. What’s your favorite scene from the original? “We’ve come for your daughter, Chuck!” is one of those lines that stuck with me all these years. It’s showtime! Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #beetlejuice #BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice #BeetlejuiceSequel #TimBurton #betelgeuse #MichaelKeaton #MichaelKeatonDouglas #WinonaRyder ...
This week I baked a Chappell Roan challah! Why? Because she’s everywhere and her music is fun. This summer, in our fair city of Chicago, she drew the largest daytime crowd to Lollapooza ever. People say I’m jealous but my kink is challah. H-O-T-T-O-G-O snap and clap and braid your dough. Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #ChappellRoan #HotToGo #chappell #PinkPonyClub #PinkPony #lollapalooza #lolla #LoveIsAKaleidoscope ...
This week I baked a Mary Poppins challah! Did you know that Mary Poppins first floated into our hearts SIXTY YEARS ago next week?? What’s your favorite memory from this timeless classic? I feel like the post-bake version of this challah looks like Mary and Totoro got together...let’s go fly a kite and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #MaryPoppins #disney #DisneyArt #DisneyFanArt #JulieAndrews #DickVanDyke #Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious #MaryPoppins60 #LetsGoFlyAKite #totoro #MyNeighborTotoro ...
This week I baked a Raygun Dancing challah! The Olympics are the gift that keeps on giving all summer through. I’m sure you’ve seen Australian b-girl Raygun’s ummmm innovative breaking performance from last week...as Ozone and Rerun are rolling in their graves #iykyk. I saw someone online call her Napoleon Vegemite and I cannot handle it. Everyone just be nice. Keep breakin’ and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #olympics #Paris2024 #raygun #breaking #breakin #BreakDancing #bgirls #b-girls #RachaelGunn #NapoleonVegemite #NapoleonDynamite #TeamAustralia #OzOlympics ...
This week I baked a Suni Lee challah! Women’s gymnastics is very popular in our household and one of our fav gymnasts is Suni. She earned 3 medals this year and it’s been amazing to see her recovery after her illness. Here is Challah Suni on the balance beam and NOT falling off (like seemingly everyone did this year in Paris, hmmmm). Go Team USA and Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #olympics #SuniLee #SunisaLee #gymnastics #WomensGymnastics #TeamUSA #GoTeamUSA #USgymnastics #balanceBeam #beam #Paris2024 ...
This week I baked a Snoop Dogg Carrying the Olympic Torch challah! The olympics are still going strong and Snoop is living his best life right now in Paris at the games. I don’t know who appointed him as the official ambassador of US Olympics, but he’s here and we’re lovin every minute of it! He is a delight. btw, you may not have seen but @Pharrell also carried the torch, that was pretty awesome as well. As a random connection to our people: my favorite Snoop track is Paper’d Up and it features a great vocal sample from Israeli singer Ofra Haza (z”l). Mazel, fo shizzle my jizzles. Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #SnoopDogg #snoop #SnoopDoggyDogg #snoopaloop #SnoopLion #olympics #ParisOlympics #ParisOlympics2024 #olympics2024 #ParisGames #SummerGames #OlympicTorch #OlympicTorchRelay ...
This week I baked a Paris 2024 Olympics challah! The Olympics start today and I’m so excited. I totally love this logo, which is in the shape of “Marianne,” who represents the spirit of the Republic. It also doubles as the Olympic flame and I think it’s brilliant. A female in the logo for these games is so fitting, since this is the first games where female and male athletes are evenly represented. Personally, I’m waiting for them to make challah braiding an Olympic sport (womp wommmmp), but alas it’s probably not in the cards. What’s your fav event(s)? Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #olympics #ParisOlympics #ParisOlympics2024 #olympics2024 #ParisGames #marianne #SummerGames ...
Dig if you will, this challah...this week I baked a When Doves Cry challah! Next week marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the film Purple Rain. One of my favorite songs of all time, from that film/album, is When Doves Cry. From the songwriting to the performance to the production of the track, it’s one of the best pop songs ever created IMHO. Naturally, His Purpleness (z”l) performed every instrument and vocal on that track...including the bassline, which was eventually muted in the final mix of the track and still is one of the only hit pop songs without bass. Also, the full version (non-radio edit) clocks in at almost 6 minutes. Touch if you will my stomach, feel how it trembles inside...because it’s getting’ ready to chow down on this challah! Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #WhenDovesCry #PurpleRain #Prince #TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsPrince #HisPurpleness #PrinceRogersNelson #prince4ever #PaisleyPark #PaisleyParkStudios ...
This week I baked a Gru challah! The newest Despicable Me movie is out and this one is the FOURTH one?! I have actually seen the previous 3 but I had to look up the third because I couldn’t remember what happened. I already made a minion challah a couple years ago (Stuart!) and figured this time I should make one of the lovable former supervillain Gru. He’s voiced by the hilarious Steve Carell, of course. Go see the movie and let me know what you think. Shabbat shalom! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #despicableMe #Gru #SteveCarell #illumination #universalPictures #minions ...
A MESSAGE FROM THE (CHALLAH) KING!!! This week I baked a Hamilton - You’ll Be Back challah! Yesterday was the 4th of July and around the Dorky Household, we now love to watch #hamilfilm each year on the 4th. The insanely talented Jonathan Groff played King George III in the original cast, and he just can’t be beat. The warning of “you’ll be back” may not be a literal one (no we’re not going back to being ruled by England), but if we’re not careful, we might find ourselves back in that situation we fought to be free from 2.5 centuries ago (ie. a king). I’m not sayin, I’m just sayin...Happy Fourth and Shabbat shalom! Awesome...wow! . . . #ChallahArt #bread #BreadArt #BreadArtist #challah #ChallahBraiding #JewishFood #hamilton #HamiltonMusical #LinManuel #riseup #linmanuelmiranda #lmm #KingGeorge #YoullBeBack #4thofJuly #FourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay #WelcomeToEarth ...