Bronx leaders celebrate Shavuot with cheesecake crawl through Riverdale bakeries

In celebration of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, alongside the CEO of Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Mark Treyger, hosted a cheesecake crawl through greater Riverdale May 29.

Shavuot, also known as the Festival of Weeks, is a holiday celebrated seven weeks after Passover.

Cheesecake is the traditional dessert served.

In honor of Shavuot and the Jewish culture present in the Bronx — and in recognition of May being National Small Business Month — Gibson and Treyger visited two kosher bakeries that have served the greater Riverdale area for years.

S&S Bakery, 222 West 238th St., has been in business for more than 60 years. Founded by Holocaust survivor Fred Schuster, the bakery has used the same cheesecake recipe since it opened.

Corner Café B & Bakery, 3718 Riverdale Ave., is run by Cochava and Ken Dubin. It offers a menu of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes and has been a staple of Riverdale since 1989.

“We are building community through cheesecake,” Treyger said. “We are also gathering to celebrate people. This is about building community through food and great friendship.”

-Gary Jean-Juste