Sweet success practically guaranteed for Hadassah’s Sweet Sunday
Now that Passover has passed and the remains of farcical matzah meal-based confections have been tossed in the trash, Pittsburghers have a real treat to look forward to: Hadassah Greater Pittsburgh Chapter’s Sweet Sunday, a day to sample baked goods and chocolates from some of the area’s top bakeries, restaurants and chocolatiers.
The event, which will be held on Sunday, April 19 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Rodef Shalom Congregation, has been a year in the making and is the largest project that this Hadassah group has ever undertaken, according to Barb Scheinberg, president of Hadassah Greater Pittsburgh.
She is anticipating that the event will exceed expectations.
“We were hoping to get 20 vendors, and now we are up to 35,” Scheinberg declared, adding that more than 200 tickets had already been sold well in advance of the event.
Sweet Sunday is a fundraiser to support the research of the Hadassah Medical Organization in Israel, which provides medical care to more than one million patients a year.
Patrons of the event will be furnished with a box that they can then fill with 36 treats from the participating vendors, including Squirrel Hill’s Waffallonia, the Chocolate Moose and Dunkin’ Donuts. Online kosher mandel bread purveyor Mandel Every Month will be there too, along with Shadyside’s gelato kingpin, Mercurio’s, and for the gluten-free, Gluteny Bakery.
Other vendors participating include caterer Bob Sendell with his homemade chocolates and the North Hills’ Chocolate Moon-shine Company, whose chocolate rolls Scheinberg describes as “the most delicious thing I’ve tasted in my life.”
Sweet Sunday was inspired by the Chocolate Extravaganza, an annual event sponsored by the local Hadassah chapter in Wheeling, W.Va., Scheinberg said.
Scheinberg and her committee have been hard at work promoting the event, displaying flyers around the city at synagogues and churches, and hope to attract up to 500 attendees.
Sheri Powell, who will provide treats from her North Hill’s company Pretzel Crazy, said she is happy to support Hadassah, feeling the pull of a longstanding familial connection to the group.
“My grandmother was a lifelong member,” Powell said, “and a huge fundraiser for Hadassah in Florida. She had a gold tree pin, and every time she would reach a milestone in fundraising, Hadassah would give her a tiny diamond for the tree, and it was full. I’m thrilled to be part of the event because of her.”
Tickets to Sweet Sunday are $15 in advance and $18 at the door.
The event is sponsored by Guttman Energy and has been given additional support from Leeds.
For more information, go to hadassah.org/pittsburgh.
Toby Tabachnick can be reached at tobyt@thejewishchronicle.net.
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