Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson and Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) CEO Mark Treyger led a festive “cheesecake crawl” on Wednesday, May 28, visiting several Jewish bakeries across the borough in celebration of the holiday of Shavuot and National Small Business Month.
Cheesecake, a traditional food for Shavuot, has become a beloved staple of the holiday. The crawl served as a joyful way to honor the occasion while spotlighting the rich culture of the Bronx’s Jewish community and supporting the small businesses that help it thrive.
Shavuot is the celebration of Jewish people receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. It is a tradition to eat dairy food on this day, including cheesecake. This is based on the belief that when the Israelites first learned of the Torah’s dietary laws, they realized their prepared meats did not meet the necessary kosher standards. Consequently, they turned to dairy foods as a practical solution.
The dairy also evokes the biblical “land flowing with milk and honey” promised to the Jewish people. This symbolic meaning further connects the Jewish belief of God’s covenant with them and the land of Israel to the giving of the Torah.
Gibson and Treyger went to S&S Cheesecake and Corner Cafe in Riverdale during the crawl. In addition to enjoying the delicious cheesecakes, they also learned about the history of these two bakeries.
Located at 222 W. 238th St., S&S Cheesecake was founded in 1960 by Holocaust survivor Fred Schuster. Today, it is operated by his son-in-law, Yair. S&S Cheesecake supplies their delicious namesake to several notable institutions in New York, including Peter Luger’s, The Palm and Zabar’s. The Corner Cafe, located at 3718 Riverdale Ave., was opened in 1989 by Cochava and Ken Dubin.
Both of these small businesses are kosher.
“I am proud to join Mark Treyger and the Jewish Community Relations Council for this year’s Cheesecake Crawl as we celebrate Shavuot and National Small Business Month! Our local Kosher bakeries reflect the rich diversity and entrepreneurial spirit of the Bronx,” Gibson said. “These are businesses that have weathered pandemics and economic downturns, yet continue to thrive in our communities. Now more than ever, it’s important that we come together to uplift and support our small businesses one bite at a time.”
“Shavuot marks a foundational moment that shaped our Jewish faith, values and way of life,” Treyger said. “Visiting these incredible Jewish-owned Bronx bakeries was a meaningful way to honor that history and celebrate the delicious traditions that bring us together. I’m deeply grateful to Borough President Gibson for her continued commitment to the Jewish community in the Bronx, and to the bakery owners and staff for warmly welcoming us.
“Shavuot is a time to celebrate community and the shared values that unite us, and today’s event truly embodied that spirit. It served as a powerful reminder that we must come together not only in times of crisis and sorrow but also in moments of joy. Joy is a form of strength, celebration can be an act of courage and community remains our greatest defense against divisions.”
