From oranges to chocolate, wine to sugar, most foods today have spread beyond their birthplaces. But did you know that as the most globalized nation in the world, Jews have been intimately involved in their active transmission? Hear the surprising stories of the wandering Jew’s gastronomic impact, and the reasons that underly our role in culinary history.

From oranges to chocolate, wine to sugar, most foods today have spread beyond their birthplaces. But did you know that as the most globalized nation in the world, Jews have been intimately involved in their active transmission? Hear the surprising stories of the wandering Jew’s gastronomic impact, and the reasons that underly our role in culinary history.

Common wisdom states that Jews don’t drink. But while it may not be the Jewish vice of choice, all evidence indicates the common wisdom to be wrong. From Biblical times, through ninth century Iraq and 18th century Poland, into the modern State of Israel, join Joel for a stumble through the intimate and at times surprising relationship between Jews and […]

Wherever Jews have spread throughout our complex and storied history, we’ve carried a simple Shabbat stew with us, adapting it to the local ingredients and tastes. A culinary history of this most Jewish of dishes that will whet your appetite, but not sit heavily in your stomach.

These three holidays all have popular foods associated with them, and plenty more that may be less familiar. By diving deeper into the dishes we eat to celebrate, we’ll answer such perplexing questions as, “would we still eat latkes if there were no miracle of the oil,” “what the heck is bokser anyway,” and “did Haman actually have pointy ears?”

From oranges to chocolate, wine to sugar, most foods today have spread beyond their birthplaces. But did you know that as the most globalized nation in the world, Jews have been intimately involved in their active transmission? Hear the surprising stories of the wandering Jew’s gastronomic impact, and the reasons that underlie our role in culinary history.

During this private event for the Men's Engagement Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, I will join chef Yosi Awad at his Yosi's Kitchen for a demonstration, lecture, and discussion. In addition to sampling various Israeli specialties from Yosi's mind, we will also be sampling a chulent. I will discuss some things connecting with Israeli food, and more […]

Israeli chefs have recently conquered the culinary world, but what about all those foods they left behind at home? What do these dishes say about Israel itself? From falafel to petitim, meurav Yerushalmi to mufleta, I will reveal the culture behind the distinctive foods that make Israel so deliciously… Israeli.

Israeli chefs have recently conquered the culinary world, but what about all those foods they left behind at home? What do these dishes say about Israel itself? From falafel to petitim, meurav Yerushalmi to mufleta, I will reveal the culture behind the distinctive foods that make Israel so deliciously… Israeli.

Wherever Jews have spread throughout our complex and storied history, we’ve carried a simple Shabbat stew with us, adapting it to the local ingredients and tastes. A culinary history of this most Jewish of dishes that will whet your appetite, but not sit heavily in your stomach.

We all know that we have to “dip the apple in the honey” on Rosh Hashana. But there are so many more symbolic foods that Jews around the world eat on the holiday. What do all of these foods mean? Why is symbolism such a big part of this holiday? How legit are “new simanim” at the Rosh Hashana table? […]

Common wisdom states that Jews don’t drink. But while it may not be the Jewish vice of choice, all evidence indicates the common wisdom to be wrong. From Biblical times, through 9th century Persia and 18th century Poland, into the modern State of Israel, this talk reveals the fascinating history of Jews and their drinking habit.