Jewfolk, Inc

Class Description

Cheesecake has long been crowned as the most coveted dessert for the holiday of Shavuot. Why is that? What’s the connection between dairy foods and the story of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai? Join TC Jewfolk's FolkLab to learn about the holiday through a demo + tasting class featuring no-bake cheesecakes.

Sample delectable desserts and learn easy recipes from Chef Zehorit Heilicher + leave with recipes and a chance to shop at the Nordic Ware Factory Store. Seating is very limited, so register today!

Date: May 12, 2026
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Location: Nordic Ware Factory Store
4925 County Road 25/Highway 7St. Louis Park, MN  55416

Instructor Bio
Zehorit Heilicher was born in Israel, to a Yemenite immigrant family. Growing up in multi-culturalGivat Olga, she experienced Israel’s rich ethnic diversity, participating in youth movementleadership roles and volunteering in JAFI’s Project Renewal.

During high school Zehorit traveled to Minnesota on the first youth delegation from her hometown.Following high school graduation, Zehorit Joined the Israeli army, where she became anofficer, finishing her service as a lieutenant. She then moved to Tel Aviv where she studied at the Tel Aviv University. During the summer of 1987, Zehorit was sent to work in a Minnesota summer camp,where she reconnected with old friends and began dating her husband-to-be, Matt Heilicher. Upon marriage, the Heilichers established a home in Minneapolis where they raised 4 children, all grown now and living throughout the U.S., from Seattle to L.A to Madison, WI.

Zehorit has found a passion for teaching cooking classes in both the Jewish and the general communities as a vehicle to facilitate conversation, curiosity, and Israel education. Zehorit developed a food line and for a while was creating Israeli & Mediterranean food to order. As the business grew, she decided to focus on teaching and connecting with people, rather than on food production. Zehorit brings to the kitchen and her classes her Mediterranean roots, passion for healthy and flavorful dishes and a deep love of people and storytelling. She has been teaching in the Twin cities for over 20 years, sharing her appreciation for the way in which culture, geography and history shape our food and the way we gather to eat it.

Following her love of community building, Zehorit has been engaged in volunteer worksince she first moved to MPLS, 38 years ago. Some of her past roles include chair of the IsraelCenter of the MPLS Jewish Federation, Federation board member, Overseas committee member,Education committee member and Minneapolis Jewish Day School (currently – HeilicherSchool) board member. Currently, Zehorit’s volunteer work is focused on the Minneapolis Jewish Federation; co-chairing the Global Experiences committee (formerly Missions), serving on the steering committee of the MPLS-Rehovot P2G (plus a few P2G sub committees) and recently co-chaired MPLS Jewish Federation’s Campaign with her husband.

“Food is a vehicle to creating community, to shaping memory and to sharing cultural richness.” -Zehorit Heilicher