Six Snacks That Changed Israel - Bamba, Bissli, Krembo, Milky etc.

Israel’s favorite snacks are more than just tasty treats. From Bamba helping reshape peanut allergy research to Milky sparking a national debate about identity and emigration, these iconic foods tell the story of Israel itself. 

Israel Unpacked takes us on a trip to discover the surprising histories behind Bissli, Krembo, Shkeidei Marak, Shoko B’Sakit, and more in a fun journey through the snacks that reveal Israeli culture, immigration, innovation, and nostalgia.

Enjoy! 

20 "American Foods" That Are Actually Jewish

20 foods that most Americans consider "just American" carry Jewish histories that the mainstream food industry erased through commercialization.  

These foods that we eat every day are actually Jewish — 20 foods found in kitchens, delis, bakeries, and grocery stores worldwide that originated from Jewish culinary traditions, were popularized by Jewish immigrants, or were invented by Jewish food entrepreneurs. 

Most people eat these daily without knowing the Jewish connection — from the bagel you had this morning to the pastrami on your sandwich to the seltzer in your fridge to the cheesecake on your dessert menu. 

The "Bloodlines and Borders" YouTube channel posted a video identifying all 20 — what each food is, how it traces to Jewish origin, which Jewish immigrant communities brought them to America, how Jewish delis and bakeries turned regional foods into national staples, why New York deli culture is fundamentally Jewish, and which foods were adapted from Eastern European Ashkenazi tradition versus Sephardic or Mizrahi origin.

All except one are kosher, the exception being the Reuben sandwich which contains both corned beef and swiss cheese. But it still has two possible Jewish origin stories, having been created either by New York restaurateur Arnold Reuben or Reuben Kulakofsky, a Jewish grocer in Omaha, Nebraska.

Enjoy!

Today is Tu B'Shvat, The Jewish New Year for Trees in Israel. It's Also Groundhog Day. What a Coincidence!

 

Today we celebrate Tu B'Shvat, the Jewish New Year for Trees in Israel.  This least known Jewish holiday is really fun.  No prohibitions that we know of, only eating, drinking, and reciting a Tu B'Shvat Haggadah.  Seems like a great way to get ready for Purim, only one month away, and Pesach, only two months away.

Singer/songwriter Carol Boyd Leon reflects on the timing of Tu B'Shvat and Groundhog Day - on the hopes for spring expressed as Americans gather in Punxatawney, PA to see if the groundhog won't see its shadow, and hopes for new growth as Israelis plant seedlings.

Her song Groundhog Noses was recorded in 2004 on her Gan Shirim (A Garden of Songs) double album which includes 70 original songs that teach about Jewish holidays, values and more through fun.   

 

So enjoy the day with fruits and foods from the seven species mentioned in the Torah (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.)

 

Chag Sameach!

Jewish Food Showcase: Americans Try Israeli Snacks

A group of American friends sample Israeli snacks and drinks, rating each item on a scale of 1-10. 

They discuss the flavors and textures of each item, with some favorites being instant coffee, a smoky-flavored pasta snack, and a peanut butter-flavored puffed snack. 

The friends disagree on their ratings, with some finding items to be too sweet or salty while others enjoy the unique flavors. 

If you've been to Israel you probably have tasted all of these:

Elite Instant Coffee

Bissli 

Bamba 

Coke Zero  

Osem Croutons  

Wafers  

Halva

Enjoy!

Haredi Rabbi Bans Cholent on Weekdays, Causing a Stir in Yeshiva Circles, Then Reverses Ruling

It all started with a question posed by a group of Yeshiva students in Israel to a weekly bulletin on Jewish law. They expressed their concern about whether weekday consumption of cholent, the beef stew traditionally eaten on Shabbat, diminishes the sanctity of the day.

Feasting on cholent on Thursday nights has become a popular activity among Yeshiva students in Israel, and also in Yeshiva communities in the United States. 

A charedi rabbi, Yitzchok Zilberstein, responded to the question with what appeared to be a ruling that the practice is forbidden.

 

As Deborah Danan and Philissa Cramer wrote in a report for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA):

Citing Talmudic, Kabbalistic and later rabbinic sources, Zilberstein wrote that it is “very appropriate not to eat [cholent] on weekdays, so that one can delight in it on Shabbat as is proper.” He went on to note that cholent is not only spiritually designated for Shabbat, but that its heavy ingredients may even pose a health risk when eaten without the merit of the holy day.

The ruling was quickly picked up by haredi news outlets, with some dramatic headlines interpreting the text as a formal prohibition.

The simmering public response about Zilberstein’s ruling was enough to provoke a partial retraction. His grandson, Rabbi Chaim Malin, emphasized that the original response was not meant to impose a universal ban, but was rather intended as a recommendation for those seeking to elevate the uniqueness of Shabbat.

The statement noted that cholent served at mitzvah meals — weddings, bar mitzvahs and other religious celebrations — is fully permitted, as is the Thursday-night practice of serving it in yeshivas, with the rabbi clarifying that students should follow the guidance of their yeshiva leadership. The statement concluded: “Let the humble eat and be satisfied.”

If you want to check out the best cholent spots in Israel, there's a YouTube channel called Cholent and Chill that rates the many restaurants that feature cholent in all of its varieties on Thursday nights.

Enjoy!

Sampling 10 Weirdest Hasidic Foods with Frieda Vizel, Brooklyn Tour Guide

Today we are joining Frieda Vizel, a former member of the Satmar Hasidic community who conducts tours of Hasidic neighborhoods in Brooklyn. In this video she goes looking for the most exotic foods available in this Jewish neighborhood, or as she puts it, foods that have more of an acquired taste.

She tries fargliverta fish zaft, yapchik, galareta, kishka, herring and even a cake that in English translates to: "rag cake". It’s an unusual food tour on the hunt for the food that will most challenge the faint of heart!

1) 1:10 - Kuchinya [Hungarian] / Fargliverte Fish Zaft [Yiddish] / Fish Jelly 

2) 1:50 - Grieven / Chicken Scraps 

3) 2:38 - Yapchik / Overnight Potato Kugel with Meat 

4) 3:05 Galareta or P’tcha / Calves Foot Jelly 

5) 4:10 Shmaltz Herring with Kichel 

6 & 7) 6:23 Chollent and Kishka / Everything Bean Stew and Stuffed Intestines 

8) 7:31 Browne Eyer / Overnight Hardboiled Chollent Eggs 

9) 8:10 Falche Fish / Fake Fish, Imitation Fish made of Chicken 

10) 9:00 Shmata Cake / Rag Cake 

"I'll Have What She's Having" Jewish Deli Exhibition Opens Friday on Central Park West

If you're a lover of Jewish delicatessen, you'll love the new exhibition opening this week at the New York Historical Society Museum on Central Park West, just a three minute walk from the American Museum of Natural History. The exhibition opens on Friday, November 11, and runs through April 2, 2023.

Organized by the Skirball Cultural Center, “I’ll Have What She’s Having”: The Jewish Deli examines how Jewish immigrants, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe, imported and adapted traditions to create a uniquely American restaurant and reveals how Jewish delicatessens became a cornerstone of American food culture.

The exhibition explores the food of immigration, the heyday of the deli in the interwar period, delis and Broadway, stories of Holocaust survivors and war refugees who worked in delis, the shifting and shrinking landscapes of delis across the country, and delis in popular culture. On display are neon signs, menus, advertisements, deli workers’ uniforms, and video documentaries.

The exhibition was featured last week on CBS TV along with a tour of Zabar's, the iconic Manhattan deli, appetizing store, and bakery that was founded more than 80 years ago -- a family business that is still going strong.

Here's a video of the CBS program. Enjoy!

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Jewish Foodie and Comedian Ori Laizerouvich, Still in Memphis, Meets a "Jewish Elvis" and Visits a Distillery

In its latest effort to strengthen the bond between Israel and American Jewry, the Ruderman Family Foundation launched a 10-part original video series, “Jewish Foodie.” 

The series aims to encourage Israelis to deepen their knowledge about U.S. Jewish communities, and Jewish Americans to become better acquainted with their rich and diverse heritage and culture, all accomplished through a rich and fascinating culinary journey of Jewish food across the U.S.

As reported in The Jewish Link,

Hosted by the well-known Israeli actor and comedian Ori Laizerouvich, “Jewish Foodie” takes viewers on a journey of the broad diversity of American Jewry as a whole and its communities in particular through the innovative vehicle of food.

Focusing on the personal stories and cultural influences associated with Jewish food in four American regions, the series explores the Northeast, with its bagels and lox, knishes, delis, hot dogs, Chinese food and vegan fare; the Southeast, including barbecue, bourbon and baked goods; the Southwest, featuring tacos, Jewish-style burgers with latkes (“Jew Boy Burger”), huevos rancheros and rodeo food; and the Midwest, with pastrami sandwiches, bison burgers and Canukah gelt-making.

Viewers not only discover American Jewish communities’ food stories, but also the broader character of the communities themselves and their members, including communities whose Jewish presence may be surprising.

Actor and comedian Laizerouvich is a familiar face to fans of the Chai Flicks streaming series Shababnikim (The New Black) where he plays the role of Gedaliah, a very religious and very serious Yeshiva student.

In this fifth episode of the series, Laizerouvich, still in Memphis, passes by Elvis Presley's mansion (Graceland) and visits a kosher home specializing in brisket where he encounters a  kippah wearing "Jewish Elvis" and ends the day in a bourbon distillery.

 (A note to our readers: While all of the food establishments visited by Laizerouvich specialize in Jewish food, only a few of them have kosher certification. In this Memphis video, Ori visits a kosher home and a distillery.)

The Sukkot holiday starts tonight. We will be observing it on Monday and Tuesday. We'll be back with our usual mix on Wednesday.

Enjoy, and Chag Sameach!

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Jewish Foodie and Comedian Ori Laizerouvich Visits a Restaurant and Bakery in Memphis, Tennessee

In its latest effort to strengthen the bond between Israel and American Jewry, the Ruderman Family Foundation launched a 10-part original video series, “Jewish Foodie.” 

The series aims to encourage Israelis to deepen their knowledge about U.S. Jewish communities, and Jewish Americans to become better acquainted with their rich and diverse heritage and culture, all accomplished through a rich and fascinating culinary journey of Jewish food across the U.S.

As reported in The Jewish Link,

Hosted by the well-known Israeli actor and comedian Ori Laizerouvich, “Jewish Foodie” takes viewers on a journey of the broad diversity of American Jewry as a whole and its communities in particular through the innovative vehicle of food.

Focusing on the personal stories and cultural influences associated with Jewish food in four American regions, the series explores the Northeast, with its bagels and lox, knishes, delis, hot dogs, Chinese food and vegan fare; the Southeast, including barbecue, bourbon and baked goods; the Southwest, featuring tacos, Jewish-style burgers with latkes (“Jew Boy Burger”), huevos rancheros and rodeo food; and the Midwest, with pastrami sandwiches, bison burgers and Canukah gelt-making.

Viewers not only discover American Jewish communities’ food stories, but also the broader character of the communities themselves and their members, including communities whose Jewish presence may be surprising.

Actor and comedian Laizerouvich is a familiar face to fans of the Chai Flicks streaming series Shababnikim (The New Black) where he plays the role of Gedaliah, a very religious and very serious Yeshiva student.

In this fourth episode of the series, Laizerouvich visits the Beauty Shop restaurant and Ricki's Cookie Corner in Memphis, Tennessee.

 (A note to our readers: While all of the food establishments visited by Laizerouvich specialize in Jewish food, only a few of them have kosher certification. In this Memphis video, only Ricki's Cookie Corner is kosher.)

Be sure to subscribe to Jewish Humor Central. Just enter your email address in the box at the upper left of our home page for your automatic free subscription. Or enter www.jewishhumorcentral.com into your browser each day. We'll be sharing the next nine episodes of this series with you each Sunday. Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Jewish Foodie Ori Laizerouvich Visits Restaurants and Purim Celebrations in Brooklyn

In its latest effort to strengthen the bond between Israel and American Jewry, the Ruderman Family Foundation this month launched a 10-part original video series, “Jewish Foodie.” 

The series aims to encourage Israelis to deepen their knowledge about U.S. Jewish communities, and Jewish Americans to become better acquainted with their rich and diverse heritage and culture, all accomplished through a rich and fascinating culinary journey of Jewish food across the U.S.

As reported in The Jewish Link,

Hosted by the well-known Israeli actor and comedian Ori Laizerouvich, “Jewish Foodie” takes viewers on a journey of the broad diversity of American Jewry as a whole and its communities in particular through the innovative vehicle of food.

Focusing on the personal stories and cultural influences associated with Jewish food in four American regions, the series explores the Northeast, with its bagels and lox, knishes, delis, hot dogs, Chinese food and vegan fare; the Southeast, including barbecue, bourbon and baked goods; the Southwest, featuring tacos, Jewish-style burgers with latkes (“Jew Boy Burger”), huevos rancheros and rodeo food; and the Midwest, with pastrami sandwiches, bison burgers and Canukah gelt-making.

Viewers not only discover American Jewish communities’ food stories, but also the broader character of the communities themselves and their members, including communities whose Jewish presence may be surprising.

Actor and comedian Laizerouvich is a familiar face to fans of the Chai Flicks streaming series Shababnikim (The New Black) where he plays the role of Gedaliah, a very religious and very serious Yeshiva student.

In this third episode of the series, Laizerouvich visits the Miss Ada Israeli restaurant and the home of Rabbi Manis Friedman, a well-known Hassid, rabbi, author, social philosopher and public speaker.

 (A note to our readers: While all of the food establishments visited by Laizerouvich specialize in Jewish food, only a few of them have kosher certification. In this Brooklyn video, only the Friedman home is kosher.)

Be sure to subscribe to Jewish Humor Central. Just enter your email address in the box at the upper left of our home page for your automatic free subscription. Or enter www.jewishhumorcentral.com into your browser each day. We'll be sharing the next nine episodes of this series with you each Sunday. Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Jewish Foodie Ori Laizerouvich Visits Lower East Side and Coney Island Restaurants

In its latest effort to strengthen the bond between Israel and American Jewry, the Ruderman Family Foundation this month launched a 10-part original video series, “Jewish Foodie.” 

The series aims to encourage Israelis to deepen their knowledge about U.S. Jewish communities, and Jewish Americans to become better acquainted with their rich and diverse heritage and culture, all accomplished through a rich and fascinating culinary journey of Jewish food across the U.S.

As reported in The Jewish Link,

Hosted by the well-known Israeli actor and comedian Ori Laizerouvich, “Jewish Foodie” takes viewers on a journey of the broad diversity of American Jewry as a whole and its communities in particular through the innovative vehicle of food.

Focusing on the personal stories and cultural influences associated with Jewish food in four American regions, the series explores the Northeast, with its bagels and lox, knishes, delis, hot dogs, Chinese food and vegan fare; the Southeast, including barbecue, bourbon and baked goods; the Southwest, featuring tacos, Jewish-style burgers with latkes (“Jew Boy Burger”), huevos rancheros and rodeo food; and the Midwest, with pastrami sandwiches, bison burgers and Canukah gelt-making.

Viewers not only discover American Jewish communities’ food stories, but also the broader character of the communities themselves and their members, including communities whose Jewish presence may be surprising.

Actor and comedian Laizerouvich is a familiar face to fans of the Chai Flicks streaming series Shababnikim (The New Black) where he plays the role of Gedaliah, a very religious and very serious Yeshiva student.

In this second episode of the series, Laizerouvich visits Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, Buddha Bodai One in Chinatown, and the vegan Orchard Grocer on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

 (A note to our readers: While all of the food establishments visited by Laizerouvich specialize in Jewish food, only a few of them have kosher certification. In this New York video, only Buddha Bodai One is certified kosher.)

Be sure to subscribe to Jewish Humor Central. Just enter your email address in the box at the upper left of our home page for your automatic free subscription. Or enter www.jewishhumorcentral.com into your browser each day. We'll be sharing the next nine episodes of this series with you each Sunday. Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

"Jewish Foodie", a New Video Series, Explores Jewish America Through Food with Israeli Comedian Ori Laizerouvich

In its latest effort to strengthen the bond between Israel and American Jewry, the Ruderman Family Foundation this month launched a 10-part original video series, “Jewish Foodie.” 

The series aims to encourage Israelis to deepen their knowledge about U.S. Jewish communities, and Jewish Americans to become better acquainted with their rich and diverse heritage and culture, all accomplished through a rich and fascinating culinary journey of Jewish food across the U.S.

As reported in The Jewish Link this week,

Hosted by the well-known Israeli actor and comedian Ori Laizerouvich, “Jewish Foodie” takes viewers on a journey of the broad diversity of American Jewry as a whole and its communities in particular through the innovative vehicle of food.

Focusing on the personal stories and cultural influences associated with Jewish food in four American regions, the series explores the Northeast, with its bagels and lox, knishes, delis, hot dogs, Chinese food and vegan fare; the Southeast, including barbecue, bourbon and baked goods; the Southwest, featuring tacos, Jewish-style burgers with latkes (“Jew Boy Burger”), huevos rancheros and rodeo food; and the Midwest, with pastrami sandwiches, bison burgers and Canukah gelt-making.

Viewers not only discover American Jewish communities’ food stories, but also the broader character of the communities themselves and their members, including communities whose Jewish presence may be surprising.

Actor and comedian Laizerouvich is a familiar face to fans of the Chai Flicks streaming series Shababnikim (The New Black) where he plays the role of Gedaliah, a very religious and very serious Yeshiva student.

The Jewish Foodie series begins with Laizerouvich in New York City, where he makes stops at iconic restaurants such as Katz’s Delicatessen, Russ & Daughters and Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery.

 (A note to our readers: While all of the food establishments visited by Laizerouvich specialize in Jewish food, only a few of them have kosher certification. In this New York video, only Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery is certified kosher.)

Be sure to subscribe to Jewish Humor Central. Just enter your email address in the box at the upper left of our home page for your automatic free subscription. Or enter www.jewishhumorcentral.com into your browser each day. We'll be sharing the next nine episodes of this series with you each Sunday. Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

The Best Jewish Bakery in North America May Not be in New York, but in Montreal

When it comes to delicious Jewish baked goods, it's hard to beat the goodies offered up by the bakeries of Montreal, Canada.

Whether its the Montreal style bagel, babka, ruggelach, cheesecake, or black and white cookies, Montrealers and visitors line up at the front doors of Cheskie's Boulangerie, or the competing 24 hour bagel bakeries, Fairmount and Ste. Viateur.

This love letter to the bakeries of Montreal uses video clips from Seinfeld episodes, the Yiddish shtick of the YidLife Crisis guys, and the carb-loving praises of a pair of Montrealers, one covered with tattoos and one with a long beard. 

Enjoy!

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A tip of the kippah to Mannie Young of the Men's Club of Cote St.-Luc, Montreal for bringing this video to our attention.

Ashkenazi vs. Sephardi - A War of Words

Ashkenazi and Sephardi/Mizrachi Jews have many language and cultural barriers to bridge. This video, posted by the outreach organization Aish HaTorah features great banter and comedy as Ashkenazim have to guess the meaning of Arabic and other Sephardi (in the loose sense of Sephardi) words, while their counterparts have to struggle with Yiddish! Who will win the war of words? 

Beneath the fun and games, Eli Birnbaum, Moshe Levy, Shloimie Gertner, Mark Jacobs and some Chassidic guests from Stamford Hill navigate: Feshnogges (an Ashkenazi Jewish Jelly delicacy), Allah Ma'ak (Middle Eastern blessing), Schmaltz herring (European Jewish fish delicacy), Ich faf dich uhn (Yiddish for 'I whistle on you!'), Mabrouk (Arabic version of 'Mazel Tov'), Mimulaim (Syrian Jewish stuffed cabbage), Ich hob dich in dem boidem (even one of the Ashkenzis struggles with that one!) Kubaneh (OK, that's actually Yemenite, a traditional yeast bread), Ful Medames (so is that, and its a bean dish) Pashkevilim (Yiddish poster announcement), Yoch (East European Jewish word for soup), Farglivet (Yiddish for 'greasy'), Farblondjet (Yiddish for 'lost' or 'hopeless'), Mahasha (Indian stuffed peppers), 

But behind the hilarious struggles to understand each others words, is a message of Jewish unity. Whatever the words, and whatever cultural differences Asheknazi Jews and Sephardi / Mizrahi/ Yemenite Jews have developed, we can laugh together, and celebrate that what unites us is far greater than those funny moments that make our communities unique. 

Enjoy!

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A Minute of Yiddish: Cookie Kibitznik on Chazerai in Junk Food and TV Entertainment

Meet Cookie Kibbitznik – your favorite Jewish mother! She's a technically-challenged Boomer fashionista – a tell-it-like-it-is, unfiltered, power-walking, pool-jogging, brisket-making giver of sage advice! She's here to teach you Yiddish, and you'll be plotzing from laughter! Brav-OY, Cookie, on your new hit comedy show! 

These videos are not meant to compete with serious Yiddish language tutorials such as the new Duolingo  course or Rukhl Schaechter's Word of the Day lessons from the Forward. They focus on Yiddish words that you probably already know, but illustrate their use in hilarious ways. They are produced and acted out by a woman who reveals only her first name, Perri. In today's video and other that we will be sharing in the coming weeks, she assumes the identity of Cookie Kibitznik, a yenta if we ever saw won.

In this episode, Cookie explains that the Yiddish word chozzerai describes not only different kinds of junk food but also lots of the entertainment that we're being fed today on TV.

Enjoy!

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Kids Try a Bubbe's Favorite Recipes

HiHo Kids is a YouTube channel with lots of short videos of kids doing funny things. Many of the videos involve kids tasting foods of different countries and ethnic groups. 

This week they posted a video of kids learning some Yiddish words and trying out some typical Jewish grandma recipes, including bagels & lox with a schmear, matzo ball soup, kugel, brisket, and babka.

Enjoy!

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Chicken Soup: The Story of Jewish Penicillin

Now that we're into the fourth day of Passover, have you had your fill of chicken soup with matzo balls? Probably not, since this quintessential Jewish dish has found a place in American cuisine far beyond its original presence on the Pesach table. 

This week CBS Sunday Morning had a special segment on Chicken Soup: The Story of Jewish Penicillin that traced its origins and validated its place as a treatment for colds and other ailments.

For centuries chicken soup has been prescribed by grandmothers and doctors alike for all manner of ailments, but many believe there really is evidence to support the prescription. Correspondent Nancy Giles talked with food historian and cookbook author Joan Nathan, and with New York's 2nd Ave. Deli owner Jack Lebewohl and executive chef David Teyf about the universal love for chicken soup.

Enjoy!

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Israel Defense Forces' Ultimate Mystery Donut Challenge for the Last Night of Hanukkah

Tonight we light the eighth and last Hanukkah candle. By now we've all had our fill of latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (filled donuts).

Israeli bakeries compete each year in creating the best and most elaborate sufganiyot. This year the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) sponsored an Ultimate Mystery Donut Challenge, enlisting pairs of soldiers to taste donuts with some very untraditional fillings. 

Mayonnaise, anyone? How about ketchup or wasabi? Watch the soldiers' reactions after taking a bite.

Enjoy, laugh, and start the diet tomorrow.

Chag Chanukah sameach!

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Yiddish Word of the Day - Eating and Overeating

As people continue to spend their days and evenings at home, due to coronavirus social distancing restrictions, the Forverts has launched a daily series of short informal video clips called Yiddish Word of the Day.

The series, written and narrated by Forverts editor Rukhl Schaechter, aims to give non-Yiddish speakers an introduction to familiar Yiddish words and phrases and how they might be used in everyday situations. 

Schaechter, who was appointed the new editor of the Forverts in 2016, is the first woman to helm the paper in its 119-year history, its first editor to have been born in the United States, and likely its first editor who is shomeret Shabbat.

We posted the first of this series in May. Now that the Forverts is continuing the series, we'll be sharing some of the words and phrases as a regular feature of Jewish Humor Central.

Today as we look forward to holiday tables full of Rosh Hashanah delicacies, Rukhl gives us the Yiddish words for eating and overeating.
 
Enjoy! 

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Happy Thanksgiving! Watch Israelis Try to Explain the American Holiday Foods and Traditions

The Jewish Agency for Israel asked some Israelis to explain American traditions and foods served on Thanksgiving Day. The responses are interesting and funny. 

Why did the Pilgrims come to America? The gold rush? Listen to some of the explanations of the origin and traditions of the holiday.

Watch the Israelis struggle with opening and eating a can of jellied cranberry sauce, and enjoying pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

For 90 years, The Jewish Agency for Israel (Hasochnut HaYehudit) has worked to overcome the biggest challenges facing the Jewish people. It played a major role in building the State of Israel, and it continues to create links globally—bringing Jews to Israel and Israel to Jews.

Enjoy, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

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