On Friday, July 24, 2026 (10 Av 5786), on the eve of Shabbos Nachamu and in advance of Tu B’Av—a day that in Jewish tradition is considered a particularly auspicious time for building a family—the international Challah Bake International event will take place. Women from around the world are invited to participate, coming together to perform the mitzvah of separating challah and to pray for successful shidduchim.
The Challah Bake International project was founded by women of the Chabad movement and is now held in many countries. Its goal is to unite mothers and women from Jewish communities in performing one of the most important mitzvos for women—afrashas challah—in order to awaken Heavenly mercy and help those who are seeking their bashert. The organizers emphasize that participants also pray for the safety of Eretz Yisrael, the well-being of the entire Jewish people, and for the health and salvation of all those in need.
The date was chosen deliberately. The event takes place on the Friday closest to the 15th of Av (Tu B’Av)—one of the happiest days on the Jewish calendar. The Gemara teaches that there were no greater holidays for Israel than Yom Kippur and the Fifteenth of Av, when the daughters of Jerusalem would go out to dance in the vineyards, and the young men would choose their brides. For this reason, Tu B’Av has long been regarded as an especially favorable time for shidduchim.
To participate, it is recommended to bake challah on Thursday evening after sunset, or on Friday, July 24. In order to be able to separate challah with a brachah, the dough must contain no less than 1.7 kg (approximately 14 cups) of flour. Before separating the challah, it is customary to give tzedakah, then recite the blessing, separate a small piece of dough while saying “This is challah,” and then recite Tehillim and pray for those who need to find their zivug, as well as for those in need of healing and Heavenly assistance. The separated challah is then burned in accordance with halachah.
The organizers invite all who wish to join this global initiative and ask that each participant pray not only for her own loved ones, but for all Jews awaiting their shidduch. The unity of so many women, simultaneously performing the mitzvah and turning to the Almighty with a collective tefillah, is the core idea behind Challah Bake International.
For more information, visit: https://challahbakeinternational.com
Email: [email protected]
