When Fiddler on the Roof opens on Jan. 10 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, the breaking of bread during the Shabbat scene will have a very local connection to Calgary’s Jewish community.

Challah baked by seniors—most in their 80s—at the Paperny Family JCC will be taking centre stage during the eight-show run of the Broadway hit.

Although Fiddler will open with a thunderous rendition of “Tradition,” the seniors said the performance has an all the more special meaning because of their inclusion.

“It’s going to really represent what Shabbat means,” said Nellie Hollander, golden age manager with Paperny Family JCC.

Broadway Across Canada called the inclusion a special one for their Calgary production of Fiddler, given the direct connection to a local Jewish Community Centre.

“There are so many people who really don’t know about our religion, and don’t understand it,” said Hollander.

“I think this will open up people’s eyes a bit.”

The Calgary production is being directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, and features all of the same classic songs like “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” and “To Life” as the original Broadway run.

A local Calgary tradition

Hollander said that they braid together three strands which individually represent truth, justice, and peace, six times over to represent the six days of work before Shabbat.

The bread itself is symbolic of the story of how the Jewish people wandered the desert for 40 years after their exile from Egypt and were fed manna from heaven for sustenance.

“It’s very symbolic,” she said.

Every Friday, the bakers gather at the centre to bake dozens of loaves. The bread has proved to be a popular draw to the centre, with sales of the loaves often happening right out of the ovens from the start at 8:30 a.m.

Each section of dough is precisely weighed before being lovingly crafted into challah by the JCC seniors. They create loaves that are plain, and ones that are covered in cinnamon and sugar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything seasoning—just like the bagels.

Passing on the traditions

Hollander said their challah, which uses a lot of eggs in its dough and egg wash, makes the best French toast with crispy outsides and chewy insides.

One of the bakers, 85-year-old Frida Sokolovski, said that as a younger woman, she didn’t bake the bread for her family. Now, there is excitement about passing along the skills to younger generations.

Sokolovski’s grandson learned to make challah during summer camp and was able to bring one home for his own family for Shabbat.

She laughed while recounting how excited her grandson got at making one for himself.

“‘Bubbe, I do it myself this challah,’ he was so excited.”

For more details on the Calgary run of Fiddler on the Roof, and for tickets, see calgary.broadway.com/shows/fiddler-on-the-roof-ne.

And for more details on the Paperny Family JCC and challah baking, see www.calgaryjcc.com/programs/golden-age/challah-baking.

Photos of challah baking at the Paperny Family JCC