New Jersey
Hundreds of women and girls gather in New Jersey to bake challah for Jewish new year
Eight hundred women and girls came together Monday evening in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, for the Chabad Lubavitch of Camden and Burlington Counties Mega Challah Bake in celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year.
They all mixed, kneaded and braided challah, a beloved Jewish tradition.
“Challah is a commandment; it’s a mitzvah from the Bible, the Torah,” said Dinie Mangel, an organizer with Chabad Lubavitch.
Typically passed down from mother or grandmother, the recipe is learned in childhood and enjoyed on Shabbat. Each participant prepared two special round loaves for the holiday.
“The flour, sugar, yeast and oil are all premeasured so we can emphasize the spiritual significance of each ingredient,” said Chana Mangel, program coordinator at Chabad Lubavitch.
“We add the sugar to symbolize sweetness in our lives, so I always add an extra pinch at the end for added sweetness. Oil was used for the anointing of kings, so I think of my children,” Donna Gal, of Cherry Hill, said.
As the dough rose, a mix of emotions filled the air, as many remembered the tragic attacks by Hamas on Israel nearly a year ago on Oct. 7.
At each seat, a card displayed the face and name of one of the 97 hostages who remain in captivity.
“How do we turn pain into action? We need that strength of togetherness,” Mangel said.
Bonnie Galam, a volunteer, added, “Here we are a year later, standing in solidarity with our friends and family. Many of us have a personal connection.”
Liav and Ofri, visiting from Israel for a one-year immersion program, said, “After Oct. 7, we started making challah more often.”
They now say an extra blessing over the dough, hoping that as it bakes and they break bread, it will bring healing to their families.
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Does a bear get rescued in the woods?
One lucky one in Union Township did.
According to a Facebook post by New Jersey State Police, “On April 1, at approximately 1:37 p.m., troopers from Troop “B” Perryville Station responded to an unusual call on I-78 East at milepost 12.2 in Union Township: a lone bear cub spotted in a roadside ditch.”
The cub was found alone, and needed help. The officers stepped in and likely saved his life
“Upon arrival, troopers found the small cub alone and in need of assistance,” the post read. “He was safely secured, transported back to the barracks, and later released to the Department of Environmental Protection for proper care. Thanks to the swift response of the troopers, the cub is now safe and receiving the attention he needs.”
New Jersey
Man arrested in New Jersey after missing woman’s body discovered in Georgia woods, GBI says
A suspect has been charged with the murder of a missing woman whose body was discovered weeks ago in a stretch of Georgia woods.
Authorities say 35-year-old Gainesville resident Loron Spaulding was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals in New Jersey earlier this week.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, officers had been searching for 30-year-old Diaja Benson since she was reported missing out of Dawson County on Feb. 20.
On the morning of March 13, agents with the GBI, the Cumming Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources found a body of a woman near Lanier 400 Parkway in Cumming. The body was later identified as Benson.
Authorities have not shared any information about how they connected Spaulding with Benson’s death or if the two knew each other.
Spaulding remains in custody in New Jersey, facing a murder charge. He will eventually be extradited to Georgia, at which time he will be booked into the Fulton County Jail.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing. If you have any information that could help, call the GBI’s Regional Investigative Office in Cleveland at (706) 348-4866 or the agency’s tip line at 1-800-597-8477.
A popular Jersey City coffee shop is facing down a zoning complaint that could force them to temporarily shut their doors.
“I think our reaction when we heard of this most recent zoning complaint was just real frustration because we’ve done everything right,” said co-owner of the Hive, Kristin Karotkin.
Kristin and Catherine Willhoit run the Hive together.
They told News 12 they are permitted to sell coffee and baked goods under their current zoning designation, retail.
However, a nearby neighbor has filed a complaint seeking to have the business reclassified as a commercial restaurant, a move that could require The Hive to halt operations while the zoning issue is sorted out.
“The fact that one person is kind of challenging the way that zoning is interpreted really just feels like a kick in the gut for a business that’s not only beloved here in the neighborhood but has done everything we are supposed to,” Karotkin said.
City officials previously denied the neighbor’s initial complaint, but the issue is now back before the city following an appeal.
According to the appeal, the central issue comes down to one item: cinnamon rolls.
The complaint alleges The Hive is operating a commercial kitchen to bake them on-site.
The owners dispute that claim, though, and showed News 12 the shop’s oven, the only one on the premises.
“There’s nothing being made from scratch in the back room here,” Karotkin said. “It’s all made off-site and then baked here in our shops.”
Beyond their own business, the owners worry the outcome of the case could have broader implications for small businesses across Jersey City as well.
“A lot of small businesses, if this keeps happening in Jersey City, they’re going to stop trying — they’re going to stop coming here,” Karotkin said.
A zoning board meeting is scheduled for April 9, where officials are expected to make a determination on The Hive’s future.
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