18 Minutes or Less

We didn’t think we’d ever see our friend Muhammed again, since our mysterious encounter in 2009. Now, we joined together like old buddies.

ITwas to be a first. In 2020 the Abraham Accords that would soon open diplomatic relations with numerous countries in the Persian Gulf were still a dream, but there were a handful of brave Jews living in the Muslim countries of the Persian Gulf — and they would be eating matzah for Pesach.

We’ve been baking matzah together for many decades, and over the years have visited a range of Jewish communities around the world where we’ve shared the experience and education of matzah baking. And so, we had the idea of doing an experiential, hands-on matzah baking with the communities of the Persian Gulf to produce handmade shemurah matzos that could be eaten at the Seder, while at the same time connecting these scattered Jews living in the Gulf states to community, mesorah, and Jewish education.

It had all the elements of a suspense novel. Some danger, a worthwhile cause, and heroes and heroines who despite great odds and difficulties remained strong in their Jewish identities. We had initially connected with Jews in the Gulf states two years ago, prior to the Abraham Accords, and planned this educational bake then; but once Covid arrived and closed down the world, we were forced to postpone those plans indefinitely.