ELLEN GELLER KAMARAS
“My mom was my inspiration for Elegant Cookies NY. She is insanely talented and was always baking when we were growing up. She took many Wilton courses and encouraged us to help and bake from a young age. She literally gave me all her baking tools when I started out.” ~~ Rivka ~~
Rivka Tawachi is the founder of Elegant Cookies NY, which she grew into a successful custom bakery niche, reaching corporate America. Her custom cakes and cookies are dairy, nut, and sesame-free and are shipped worldwide.
Rivka was born in Long Branch, NJ, to Rabbi Shlomo Shoub, of Iranian descent and Blimie Aboud, of Syrian descent, from NJ. Blimie’s parents lived in the Lower East Side and were close with Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l.
In 1978, when he was 16, Rabbi Shoub came to the U.S. from Iran, to study at Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore. NIRC’s Rabbi Neuberger’s goal was to bring Persian students to learn in the U.S. and for them to return to Iran to teach Torah. With the outbreak of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, most of the boys stayed in America.
Rivka is number seven of eleven children. She said, “Although our minhagim were primarily Persian, we grew up with one foot in each world. My mom’s Syrian roots had a strong impact on us, expressed in customs and food. We also visited my mother’s family in Deal often. It was the best of both worlds.”
Rabbi Shoub moved his family from NJ to Great Neck, Long Island, when Rivka was two. He joined a kehilla there and eventually opened his own Persian Synagogue, Congregation Shira Chadasha, which is now Congregation Shaare Yashar. Rivka is very proud that the shul is thriving.
Rivka’s mother described her as an energetic and social child. History was her favorite subject. “We were all lively kids and are still close, even though we live all over. It was chaotic but I loved it.”
Rivka studied at BBY, Bnos Beis Yaakov, in Far Rockaway for elementary school and Ateret Torah in Brooklyn for high school.
She and her siblings were very involved with their father’s shul. “My mom ran all the events, and we helped her both in and out of the kitchen. She was always baking and cooking. We were raised to do hesed, to always do things for others, and that shaped who we became.
My parents taught us that people don’t have to know about the good you do. I have seen my parents being there for people in the most beautiful way. We only found out the extent my parents were there for others when we were older.”
Rivka’s Spark
Rivka possesses tremendous positive energy, warmth, and drive. She describes herself as creative, energetic, assertive, and dramatic. She enjoys challenging herself.
Rivka is also very spiritual and has a strong belief in Hashem, saying that if Hashem decides you will be successful, you will be. She believes in determination and hard work and not giving up. “Figure out what went wrong and fix it. You can’t receive Hashem’s blessing if you don’t try and put yourself out there.”
Work and Marriage
Rivka’s first job out of high school was as a hairdresser. She then landed a job as an office manager for a cardiology practice and loved the fast-paced environment and the chaos. Surely, Rivka saw to it that the office ran smoothly and charmed the patients as well.
Soon after graduating high school, Rivka was introduced to Chaim Tawachi, one year her senior. Chaim, of Syrian descent, from Brooklyn, was introduced to Rivka by his aunt, who made several successful matches for both families.
Rivka and Chaim clicked right away. “We are both straight shooters and have similar backgrounds and values. We both love coffee and having a good time. On our first date, Chaim asked me if I like coffee and before I knew it, we were leaving the restaurant and were on our way to a café.”
Chaim learned in yeshiva in the beginning of their marriage. He then started work in the consumer electronics industry as his family grew.
The couple live in Midwood and have three children, two daughters aged nine and six, and a three-and-a-half-year-old son. Their daughters attend Bet Yaakov Orot Sarah and their son will be entering Yeshivat Mekor Haim this fall.
Community is very important to Rivka. She learned from her parents how essential it is to take care of each other and our community members. The couple’s children are in community schools, they pray at a community shul, Derech Efrat, and Rivka cooks for community families in need.
Elegant Cookies NY Is Born
While working as an office manager, Rivka helped a friend bake a cake for her son’s upsherin. “I said, ‘let’s do it together.’ It was an adorable race car cake. My neighbor came over and said, ‘you must start a business’ and it snowballed from there.”
Her mother’s talent for baking inspired Rivka. Every party her mother organized was a family affair and each child had their assignment, “as long as we did our dishes, the kitchen was ours.”
The Elegant Cookies brand is “tasting as good as it looks.” Rivka adds, “I love to watch someone eat something so pretty that it brings a smile to their face.”
“Sometimes cakes look gorgeous, but you can taste the Crisco and you are left with an unpleasant coating in your mouth,” Rivka says. She will tell a customer when an idea won’t work and she will not sell anything that does not taste good.
Rivka chose to make her products free of both nuts and sesame. As a child, Rivka had a friend with many allergies, and it was always challenging when she came over. “I wanted to create something inclusive for people with allergies.”
When Rivka first started her business, she mostly baked custom desserts for community parties. When she launched her website, she found that it was ranking well in Google search results. Their baby cookie gift set was one of five top Google searches for kosher baby cookies.
Elegant Cookies Takes Off
Elegant Cookies now works with large enterprises for their corporate events and gifting, product launch parties, and customize DIY cookie kits for team building exercises.
“We worked closely with the Nike Jordan team to create a cake for a new release and Cocoa Bombs for a new line of moisturizers for Laneige. We did events for LinkedIn, Microsoft, and J & J.”
Rivka learned that the customer base for her products is not limited to caterers and community parties. Any business could have a need for niche products, which means every company is a potential customer. “I’m excited about continuing to explore that,” Rivka says.
During the pandemic, Elegant Cookies sold many DIY cookie kits to moms with children at home and to corporations for Zoom group activities.
“We don’t usually advertise; our business comes from word of mouth. We have a great marketing manager who is taking our business to new levels with social media.”
Passions and Balance
Rivka’s greatest personal passion is her family. Professionally, she loves a challenge and is on fire about growing her business, trying out new products/techniques, and keeping up with the latest trends. Rivka is proud that she was able to grow beyond running a community business and can now bring her products to corporate America.
Rivka maintains a healthy work-family balance but does not take all the credit. “Without Chaim, I wouldn’t have my business. He takes the children when I host business parties and brings professionalism and knowledge to Elegant Cookies. He taught me about sales and handles the administrative end.”
Rivka expressed hakarat hatov for the help she receives from her parents and her in-laws.
And Rivka makes sure to keep her children in the loop regarding what’s happening with her business and what is coming up with her future work schedule.
Rivka’s kids know about her busy work periods, near Rosh Hashanah, Hanukah, Purim, and Shavuot.
“I always try to make an extra dessert for them, so they know that I am thinking of them. They are my biggest supporters. My kids tell people their mommy has a bakery and makes yummy desserts. I send in cookies or cupcakes when they have a school event.”
After each busy season, Rivka takes time off to spend with her family.
Rivka and Chaim are on the same page regarding parenting. They are focused on raising good, independent children with Torah values and a strong work ethic.
The children are their priority: Sundays are usually reserved for the kids exclusively.
To unwind, Rivka loves reading a good book, traveling, and taking road trips with her family. She cherishes spending time with her siblings when they are in town.
What’s Next
At the right time, Rivka’s plan is to open a bakery, offer baking classes, and acquire an event space.
You can connect to Rivka by phone, 516-423-2711, text, WhatsApp, Instagram @elegantcookiesny and email, Elegantcookiesny@gmail.com.