Thousands of people across the community from the age of 1-100 took part in Jewish Care’s biggest Great Jewish Bake Day this year. Fun was shared and new connections were made between old and young whilst vital funds were raised. Moneys raised will help to fund Jewish Care buses that take older people, who would otherwise be isolated, to and from home to community and day centres.
Children from twenty-nine toddler groups, nurseries, schools, brownies and cubs groups held bake sales or visited older people in eight Jewish Care homes and community centres to decorate and enjoy countless cupcakes together. The children designed posters, baked and sold cakes at after-school bake sales across London. Hundreds of metres of bunting were strung up in homes and gardens as people hosted Bake Day tea parties for their friends and neighbours, opening their homes to Jewish Care clients in sunny Southend.
2015 Masterchef finalist, Emma Spitzer, judged a lively baking contest at Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre in Hendon, she said; “When asked today if I could come and meet you all and eat cake it wasn’t a difficult decision to say yes. I am delighted to have visited this Centre today where I have met a wonderful group of people. This is an incredible place run by incredible people and I am honoured to be here to celebrate Bake Day with you”.
Chef Denise Phillips gave a masterclass in rugalach baking at Connect@ in Kenton, a Jewish Care group for more independent older people, whilst residents of Betty and Asher Loftus Centre enjoyed their own bake-off, cooking some of their own favourite recipes.
Meanwhile in Redbridge, the Messy Mischief group of mums and toddlers joined members of Jewish Care’s Redbridge Jewish Community Centre and Stepney Jewish Community Centre, together with pupils from Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School, to ice cakes and put the sprinkles on hundreds of cupcakes.
Shai, a ten-year-old pupil, said, “The best part is to be with the older people…and I like the icing and eating too!”
Ida Sharp, ninety-four, who attends the Centre twice a week said, “I am lucky to have a wonderful family, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren who come to visit me at home, but I rely on the Jewish Care bus to get out the house so I can see people and enjoy activities at the Community Centre two days a week. It’s given me a new lease of life.”
At Jewish Care’s Michael Sobell Community Centre in Golders Green, baker for the stars Rachel Rachel came to sprinkle some star quality on cupcakes with Year 9 JFS students, and was joined by Jewish Care Vice President Debbie Fox for a fun get-together over cake.
JFS year 9 pupil, Asher Hayes, fourteen, summed up the experience saying, “I really enjoyed getting to know the older people at the centre. My friends and I decorated some cakes with two men called Joseph and Benny, both from Iran who were very good friends. It was inspiring for us to meet two close friends who shared a lot in life and to talk and bond with them. Bake Day was a fun experience and really uplifting, I would definitely like to do it again.”
Meanwhile, children from a Nursery in Edgware, who love to get together every week with the older members from Jewish Care’s Edgware & Harrow Community Centre as part of their JOY, Joining Old and Young programme, iced cakes at their special Bake Day activity. Community Centre member Judy Benton, said, “The children are lovely, I love to get involved with them each week when I come to the centre. They make me feel useful. Some of them don’t have grandparents of their own or they don’t see them, so I like being a Grandma for them. It is a joy to spend my time with the children and always lifts my spirits.”
After dusting off the sprinkles at the end of the day, Jewish Care vice-chair Debbie Fox said, “The Great Jewish Bake Day is in its fifth year and we’d like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who took part to make this year the best Bake Day ever. Bake Day isn’t just about eating cake, although that’s a big part of it – it’s an event that brings the community together, having fun and connecting with each other, whilst raising much needed funds for Jewish Care.
“The money raised will go towards our Jewish Care buses that drive older, isolated people in our community to and from our community centres each day and on outings to places of interest that would otherwise be inaccessible. These buses are a real lifeline, supporting older people in our community to lead meaningful lives.”