I am not 99 years old and I am not Jewish. However I live close by a Kosher bakery that open in 1919. They still bake amazing old country breads, bagels, pies, cookies and "butter cake". My grandparents' generation learn to make dessert from stale breads and left over rice. Bread pudding and rice pudding still remains to be one of my favorites desserts. Brioche and/or Challah breads are great for making bread pudding.
Fish, you definitely do not have to be 99 years old and Jewish to use day old challah for bread pudding, LOL! There were many old-fashioned Jewish bakeries near where I grew up, so I know what you mean. Where I live now, there is one bakery that makes all their breads, cakes, pies, etc. the old fashioned way with real ingredients and no chemical stuff... and I have to stay away from them most of the time lest I indulge too often! <g> +1