Sourdough, Soul & Second Chances

I’m currently in Melbourne, here for Pesach (Passover) with family and old friends. The pace of the holiday—and the conversations it's sparked—have pulled me into unexpected reflection. On the surface: matzah, good wine, old songs, and laughter. Beneath it: legacy, renewal, and reconnection.

Before we get to sourdough starters and habanero heat, let’s talk matzah.

Matzah vs. Sourdough

Sourdough is slow. Cultured. It rises, bubbles, ferments. It demands time, patience, and precision. Matzah is its opposite—rushed, flat, and deliberately humble. In Jewish tradition, matzah commemorates the bread our ancestors baked in haste as they left Egypt—no time to rise, only time to run.

This isn’t just a culinary contrast. It’s existential. Sourdough celebrates control and mastery. Matzah reminds us there are moments when urgency, humility, and faith take over. One is art. The other—a story.

The Rebbe understood this deeply. With spiritual foresight, he launched a global mivtza (campaign) to distribute Shmurah Matzah—handmade and carefully guarded from water from harvest to baking—to Jews of every background. One bite could reconnect a soul to its story.

There’s a lesson there for all of us: simplicity can be transformative. The right action, at the right moment, carries infinite weight.

Reconnecting

A few weeks ago, I reconnected with a childhood friend. We hadn’t spoken in years. Life does that. But when we sat down again this week—same table, same city—it was like no time had passed.

He’s an artist in his field, one he left reluctantly during COVID to support his family. We spoke about legacy, faith, the pain of having to lay off people you care about—and the courage it takes to return to a calling.

We’re both 49. We joked about being ‘over the hill,’ but agreed: momentum builds on the descent. Between 45 and 70 is when most people create their maximum impact.

I had the pleasure of meeting his son—a brilliant, hilarious, irreverent 12-year-old who usually makes world-class sourdough and a killer habanero sauce. Because of the holiday, there was no sourdough this time, but he proudly showed us a jar of pickled vegetables in brine that hinted at culinary creativity. We didn’t get to see him in action, but the evidence was there.

We also shared a bottle of wine. I forgot to drink water. Woke up with a headache—but with clarity.

He texted me this morning:

“You probably will not find this surprising, but I needed to hear everything that you said… I needed clarity on an exceptionally time-sensitive matter, and last night gave me that clarity and strength to execute it. Regardless of the driving force behind our catching up last night, I am thankful for the outcome.”

That message meant more than I can say. These are the conversations that stay with you.

His second son wasn’t there—I hope to meet him next time. From what I’ve heard, there’s something special there too.

His wife, a leading pediatric palliative care doctor, is someone whose quiet strength speaks volumes.

Leadership doesn’t always announce itself. Often, it just shows up.

The Echo of Return

Passover doesn’t just commemorate movement—it honors return.

After weeks of travel across the world’s supply corridors, I’ve been reminded that while everything is in motion—goods, policies, people—clarity comes in stillness.

And sometimes, coming home isn’t about location. It’s about remembering what you’re building, and why.

This post is part of the Business of Soul series—where reflection, faith, and real conversations meet a broader search for meaning in life and work.

Glossary

• Pesach (Passover) – Jewish holiday commemorating the Exodus from Egypt.

• Matzah – Unleavened bread eaten on Pesach to remember the haste of leaving Egypt.

• Shmurah Matzah – Special handmade matzah, guarded from contact with water from harvest to baking.

• Mivtza – A spiritual campaign, often initiated by the Rebbe, to spread a mitzvah or message.

• Farbrengen – A soulful gathering involving food, songs, Torah, and stories.

• Lubavitcher Rebbe – Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, global Jewish leader and visionary.

• Business of Soul – My framework for integrating spirituality and ethics into meaningful commerce.