Skip to main content

Challah for Hunger


I’ll be the first to shamefully admit that when I first signed up to bake bread for Challah for Hunger, my motives were not exactly Gandhi-esque. I thought: it’s convenient, right near campus, I get to learn how to make food and eat it in the end. Sweet. I did not know what foundation the proceeds of the challah were going, all I knew was that challah was delicious.

I did indeed learn how to roll and fill the challah dough (a useful skill) and purchased a loaf for myself, which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, a period of illumination occurred some time in between the dough-rolling and the challah-eating, when the bread was rising in the oven, when UCLA Alumna and Jewish World Watch Co-Founder and President Janice Kamenir-Reznik gave an enlightening presentation on where exactly the funds from Challah for Hunger were headed.

The Jewish World Watch is dedicated to putting an end to mass atrocities, such as that which irreparably devastated European Jewry (amongst many other minority groups as well) in the late 1930s and 1940s. The JWW’s mission is clearly evidenced by its motto: “Fight genocide. Do not stand idly by.” In a presentation accompanied by PowerPoint slides, Mrs. Kamenir-Reznik, armed with her impressive statistics, explained how the proceeds of Challah for Hunger were going to provide solar cookers for women in refugee camps in Africa, eliminating their need to leave the camps to collect firewood, and thereby dramatically lowering rates of assault and rape on these women. The statistics themselves elicited an audible gasp from the audience, as did Mrs. Kamenir-Reznik’s astonishing stories about the plight of the women in African refugee camps, the very same women we were helping protect from harm indirectly through our baking.

At one point during her presentation, I was so personally affected by what Mrs. Kamenir-Reznick was saying about the kinds of decisions women in refugee camps had to make, such as the choice between letting herself and her children go hungry or getting raped, that I exited the room for a bit. As a young woman who one day hopes to have children, I simply could not fathom confronting that dilemma on a daily basis. I left Hillel that day with more than just a tasty piece of bread; I left armed with knowledge and a new cause.

Michelle Nosratian
First Year Belle


Popular posts from this blog

Imposter Syndrome and Finding Myself

The person I was when I stepped on campus 4 years ago is unrecognizable to me now. I came to college knowing that I wanted to be pre-med but having no friends or family following a similar path, I felt so lost in navigating my path on my own. I started college being terrified of failing. I was so naive and so desperate to succeed I was not taking care of myself. My second year was when I reached my lowest point. I was so depressed and lonely, I considered leaving  UCLA. I did not feel smart enough to be there, I didn’t feel likable enough because I didn’t really have friends. Joining Belles in my junior year was a big part of completely transforming my UCLA experience. Belles was the first time I felt completely embraced by a group of people. It was the first space in which I felt like everyone truly wanted the best for each other. The people and the opportunity to help others were exactly what my heart needed at that time in my life. Service is something that is so incredibly importan
Post a Comment
Read more

A Sense of Belonging

  When I look back at my first two years at UCLA, the differences between the two are immediately noticeable. By the time my second year was in full gear, I was more comfortable, doing better in my classes, and making memories that I knew would stick with me for a lifetime. This change in my college experience was no coincidence- it was a result of joining Bruin Belles.     Freshman year, as it tends to be for many of us, was quite the difficult transition for me to make. Going from living in the same town for my entire life and having been constantly surrounded by family and friends to being on a huge campus over a thousand miles from home was something that I don’t know how I could have prepared myself for. That first year was a lot of trial and error- with extracurriculars, with classes, with my major- any and every part of my life felt like it was undecided and thinking about the future was a daunting task that I avoided at all costs. I often found myself questioning my decision to
Post a Comment
Read more

Impact of Bruin Belles

Without a doubt, I don’t think I could have ever imagined my college experience without Belles. The immediate sense of belonging and love I feel from Belles is beyond imaginable and I know applying for Belles was one of my best decisions at UCLA. As an incoming freshman, the year was extremely daunting. I knew practically no one who would be attending UCLA and the only thing I could remember from my first few weeks was my dorm room walls. Being extremely shy, I had yet to establish any secure friendships.  Looking back, I know now that I could have probably tired a little harder, but this also would have never happened without joining BBSA. Upon seeing Belles at the activities fair and then at open house, I was astounded at the sense of sisterhood and support network Belles practically radiated. Even during the interview process (where I’m pretty sure I constantly said “I’m so sorry. I’m so nervous”), every Belle comforted me and allowed me to become more expressive and open.  Upon Fal
Post a Comment
Read more