Hey, everybody. Ana here. We originally aired this episode in January of 2020. The episode is about the history of Rainbow Bakery, the Kaplan family, and really Jewish Rhode Island in the 20th century. I remember going to meet Murray for the first time at 5am on a cold, dark, December morning. He was paddling loaves into the ovens and hustling to turn off timers right and left. I stayed there for a couple of hours. We talked and ate. In the middle, a woman came in. She was in her mid-60s and in town for a funeral. She stopped into Rainbow Bakery because she remembered the hamentashen from when she was little. 

I went to Rainbow Bakery this week and talked with Murray and his son Scott. They both told me they had no idea what this place meant to people. Ever since they announced Murray’s official retirement date, hundreds of people have reached out via social media and come into the shop to share their stories and hopefully scoop up some of the last loaves of seeded rye. 

But if there’s one thing I know about Murray, baking is in his blood. The doors of Rainbow Bakery might be closed for good, and Murray might be nervous about what life looks like outside of a commercial kitchen, but he’s got grandkids who need birthday cakes. And nothing will change the history of what the Kaplans created in this state. Cheers to a happy retirement, Murray. You deserve it. 

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