Research has shown that after thousands of years, bread remains the most regularly consumed food in the world. Due to its convenience, portability, nutrition and taste, bread is the most important staple food of humans.
Oftentimes, though, it is the most staple, basic, and everyday things that become unappreciated and boring. Bread is good and nice, but sometimes it loses that excitement due to its frequent usage.
Enter Dave’s Killer Bread. The brand manager for Dave’s Killer Bread, a bread company that has taken the world by storm, said: “It’s not like we’re inventing Teslas or Apple iPhones or something. [Until Dave’s Killer Bread] bread was more of like, an edible plate. It was a way to get other things into your mouth, like cheese or avocado or peanut butter. The bread itself wasn’t necessarily the most exciting part of the eating experience.”
The aim and goal of Dave’s Killer Bread was to make the bread the star. But honestly, for me, what really struck me about this unique bread company is its compelling origin story and driving purpose. After spending 15 years in prison across four sentences, Dave Dahl got a second chance when his brother, Glen, offered him a job to join the family bakery. The rest, as they say, is history.
On the back packaging of each loaf of Dave’s Killer Bread, reads the following: “Dave set out to make a loaf like no other – the most nutritious, organic whole grain bread – and the result is what he called “killer” bread. Dave’s Killer Bread is built on the belief that everyone is capable of greatness. What began as one man’s journey has turned into so much more. Today, one third of the employees at our Oregon bakery have a criminal background, and we have witnessed first-hand how stable employment sparks personal transformation.”
Second Chance Employment, as the Dave’s Killer Bread company calls it, is an integral part of the company’s internal and external positioning, as it calls for “Hiring the best person for the job, regardless of criminal history.”
This week’s Parshah, Ki Sisa, discusses the Jewish people’s sin of the Golden Calf. It was a bad moment, a weak moment, a low moment for the Jewish people. They rebelled against G-d, the Luchos were broken, and they were almost wiped out. But as down as they were, G-d did not give up on the Jewish people. He gave them a second chance. The same Torah portion that discusses the tremendous low moment of the Golden Calf, also discusses the tremendous high and opportune moment of the Second Tablets.
At Matan Torah, Hashem chose the Jewish people to be the ones to accept His Torah. Many other nations interviewed for the esteemed “position” of being G-d’s People, but ultimately, Hashem “hired” us, as we were the most suitable and fitting for the job (besides, the other interviewees simply walked out of the interview!). Regardless, though, of our spiritually criminal history – complaints in the desert, sin of Golden Calf, sin of Spies, etc. – Hashem still views us as the best nation for the job.
Have a holy Shabbos!
