Somers Children Make Matzo in Mahopac

MAHOPAC, N.Y. – About 20 children from Somers traveled to Mahopac’s Temple Beth Shalom on Wednesday to team up with about 30 other youngsters in a matzo bake-athon. Among the 30 Mahopac children were about a dozen young bakers from Mahopac’s First Presbyterian Church, joining in because, “during the Last Supper, Jesus ate matzo,” said Rabbi Eytan Hammerman.

Eating matzo at Passover is a tradition based on the Jews’ use of unleavened bread during their exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago, the rabbi explained.

“So matzo bakes in 18 minutes so it doesn’t have time to rise,” he said. The recipe is simple. “Flour, water, a little bit of spice and a lot of speed.”

“The dough is mixed and flattened," Hammerman said. "When you buy it in the store it’s square because it’s made by machine. Here we have versions of circles, some pretty and some not so pretty.”

The oven used for baking was constructed by members of the synagogue.

“There was a lot of smoke,” Hammerman said. “Everyone was huddled around the fire. It was a Passover version of a campfire.”

Click here to follow Daily Voice Somers and receive free news updates.