A Jewish food is one that is almost sanctified, either by its repeated use or use within the holidays or rituals. So food that may have not been Jewish at one point can become Jewish within the cultural context.
Judaism is not just a religion but a people, and the food and customs of one part of the people is connected to the other part of the people. They are part of a larger story.
Every holiday has unique fare and symbolic foods, but none as much as Rosh Hashana.
To me, that aspect of life that most touches the everyday and celebrations is food.
Every year, my father comes by and samples the chremslach - like quality control - and tells me how they taste just like his mother's.
In the New York metropolitan area, you can find Jews from just about every Jewish cultural community in the world.
Most of the traditional foods we eat on Jewish holidays start out with a seasonal reason as to why we eat them, and later a religious significance is tacked on.
People remember the different variations of stuffed cabbage based on their mothers and grandmothers. It's not just about food. Eating something as traditional as this is a cultural experience, one that is spiritual and nostalgic. It manages to transcend time; it's food for the soul.
Sephardic Jews were always known as good cooks.
Preparing foods from other Jewish communities is broadening. It's interesting to sample the foods of other Jewish communities and see what they developed.
The kosher community tends to follow often several years behind the general societal trends.
The Passover experience is an incredibly pedagogic one.
We can all be defined by food.
Judaism is not, per se, a religion in the sense most Americans think of. Even if you don't adhere to the various precepts, you're still a Jew.
The processing and preparation of food can transform a kosher item into a non-kosher item.
