If we haven’t met yet—hi, I’m Ayala. I’m a mom of three, happily married, and I run kosher sourdough workshops from my home in Jerusalem. But today, I want to share something more personal—how my daughter’s celiac diagnosis changed everything for us and led me to where I am today.
We found out my daughter Leah had celiac when she was nine. She didn’t have any major symptoms—just a little dairy sensitivity. Then one day, she got what we thought was a regular stomach virus. But when things didn’t clear up, we did some tests. The results came back positive for salmonella—and, in that same round, her bloodwork also came back positive for celiac. A biopsy later confirmed it: 100% celiac.
Funny story—right after the biopsy, in the recovery room, the nurse handed Leah a slice of bread. That was her last “real” bread, and she still remembers it to this day.
Thankfully, my husband and I were able to stay calm and approach it with a positive mindset. At the time, I had already been reading a lot about gut health—including celiac—so when the diagnosis came, I wasn’t so threatened. I honestly felt like God had prepared me ahead of time. It didn’t feel like a tragedy—just something we were going to figure out.
I really believe the energy we brought into the situation made a huge difference. We stayed positive—and Leah picked up on that. She took it like a champ. Of course, there were hard moments, but her attitude was incredible.
Our kitchen had already been shifting toward a healthier direction, but once we got the diagnosis, we had to take it a step further. I took it as a chance to clean things up even more. While we still have some processed items in the house, I do my best to make most of our food from scratch—and slowly, that became our new normal.
There are still challenges, especially when we’re out. But we’re blessed with a supportive family that really gets it. And her school? The parents are amazing. Every birthday party in class, they make sure Leah has a gluten-free treat too. That kind of support goes a long way.
Of course, there were a few painful episodes along the way—like the times she accidentally ate gluten. Even the smallest amount would make her so sick. Vomiting all night, stomach pain, total misery. And there was nothing we could do in those moments except sit next to her, hug her, and remind her that her body was doing the right thing—it was protecting her.
Before all this, I was baking regular sourdough—and she loved it. But once she was diagnosed, I had no idea how to make gluten-free bread. So I started buying it. And she hated it. The store-bought options were awful. I’d read the ingredients and stand there in disbelief. I tried everything—tahini bread, buckwheat bread, “healthier” versions… but she didn’t like any of it.
That’s when I knew I had to figure something out.
I started experimenting with gluten-free sourdough. And wow… it was a wild ride. I had no idea how to work with gluten-free flours. Everything felt different. I tried, I failed, I learned—and failed again. But after two years of testing and tweaking, I finally created a gluten-free sourdough recipe that’s delicious, nourishing, and—most importantly—Leah-approved.
That’s when people started asking me to teach. Not just moms—people of all ages and backgrounds—just looking for a good gluten-free bread option. That’s how I launched my gluten-free sourdough workshops, and thank God, they’ve been helping so many people ever since.
As I kept learning, I started asking deeper questions: Why does the body develop celiac? Why would it suddenly start attacking itself?
I brought those questions to our gastroenterologist, and the answer was always: “It’s just genetic.” And while I understand that genes play a role, I also believe our bodies don’t just turn against us for no reason. I believe symptoms are a form of communication—our body’s way of saying something needs attention and healing.
The more I researched, the more I realized how layered and complex it all is—and how many unanswered questions still exist. Eventually, I had to let go and accept that I may never fully understand it all—and that’s okay.
We live in a world of ultra-processed food and a toxic environment. The food we eat today isn’t what it used to be. Our grains have been stripped of their natural fiber and nutrients. They’re often sprayed with chemicals before they even reach our kitchens.
White flour—the base of so many products—is everywhere. And even gluten itself has been modified and processed, making it harder for our bodies to digest.
I don’t believe gluten is the enemy. It’s the way we’re consuming it that’s the problem.
It’s up to us, as parents and as people who care about health, to educate ourselves and do our best to nourish our families. It’s not always easy, and I don’t always get it right—but when I feed my body better, I feel better. And I see the difference in my kids too.
Health isn’t something we can buy. It’s something we protect, nurture, and honor. It’s easy to take it for granted—until you don’t have it. But when you do the work, the return is a million times more. And that, for me, is the biggest blessing.
