The Charlotte
JEWISH
Vol. 42, No. 9
Cheshvan - Kislev 5781
November 2020
Gastro Jews: A Jewish Journey Through Food
W hat comes to mind when
you think of Jewish food?
You probably think gefilte fish,
stuffed cabbage, and matzah
ball soup. You might reminisce
about Bubbe’s kugel or Aunt
Ruth’s ruggelah. You probably
don’t think of Chanie Apfel-
baum’s gluten-free Green Eggs
and Latkes with kale and a
fned egg. Or Michael Twitty’s
Matzah Meal Fried Chicken.
Or Mandy Silverman’s Tequila
Gedola challah with tequila hon
ey and margarita mix!
But all that’s about to change.
Gastro Jews: A Journey Through
Food virtual culinary series of
fers a diverse, eclectic perspec
tive on Jewish cooking, culture,
and history. The series, present
ed by the Jewish Federation of
Greater Charlotte’s Education
and Engagement Department,
brings together award-winning
authors and chefs from around
the world to share their unique
spin on tradition, infusing each
recipe with their own unique
family, cultural, and geographic
history.
Breaking bread and connect
ing through food has always
been a way for communities to
gather to support each other.
Food, like language, exists as a
vehicle for expressing culture.
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It has the power of being both
a biological necessity as well as
a deeply symbolic cultural arti
fact. Food plays a crucial role in
Jewish life, with recipes telling
the stories of how Jewish peo
ple live and love, how they cele
brate and mourn. These recipes
carry with them the marrow of
who we are as individuals, as
families, and as a people.
Since the beginning of the
pandemic, people have been
spending most of their time
at home and many are using it
as an opportunity to take up a
new hobby or learn a new skill.
Early on, the items that became
the hardest to find (after toilet
paper and hand sanitizer) were
fiour and yeast, suggesting that
cooking and baking are not only
a source of comfort, but also a
passion for some to discover or
rediscover. In Ihe months that
followed, virtual programming
blossomed to bring educational
and entertaining programming
directly into people’s homes.
Gastro Jews series will cap
ture this passion by bringing
world-famous chefs right into
your kitchen in a way that
wouldn’t have been possible be
fore. Each month will feature a
different chef sharing their reci
pes and stories. Participants will
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A JEWISH JOURNEY THROUGH FOOD
Join NextGen as we kick
off our FREE monthly
virtual series celebrating
^ the history, diversity, and
^ excitement of Jewish food.
For more Information visit httpsy/www.nextgenchartotte.org
Jcwi.sh Federation | NEXTGEN
Charlotte
have the opportunity to discover
the rich scope and diversity of
Jewish cuisine and, in so doing,
learn more about Jewish history
and traditions. Online platforms
created for this initiative will
also allow participants to share
recipes and stories and to build
connections through their com
mon interest in Jewish cook
ing and food. You can register
for one or all of the sessions at
WWW.)ewishcharlotte.org
The series is designed for all
cooking levels and interests.
Whether you’re an experienced
cook or a novice who’s just get
ting started in the kitchen, you
are welcome. Just please make
sure to wash your hands before
you sit down for a meal. Look
ing forward to breaking bread
with you.
See schedule on page 2.
Celebrating Civic Engage
ment: Judy Seldin-Cohen
Honored for Her Work
tral Carolinas for advancing social justice in the
Charlotte community and exemplifying the Y’s
mission of eliminating racism, empowering wom
en, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and
dignity for all people.
Kirsten Sikkelee, CEO of YWCA Central Caro
linas, says, “The YWCA’s mission is advanced by
people of all faith traditions, and Judy Seldin-Co
hen is a shining beacon of hope, demonstrating
faith in action of the Jewish tradition.”
For nearly 150 years, Jews have made it their
priority to lead and to lift up the city of Charlotte.
In 1879, Samuel Witikowsky was Ihe firsi Jew
ish presideni of Charlotte’s Chamber of Com
merce. In the 1940s, I.D. Blumenthal brought
Brotherhood Week, a program of the National
Conference of Christians and Jews, to Charlotte
and along with his brother, Herman, purchased
and dedicated the mountaintop retreat of Wilda-
(Continued on page 2)
By Rabbi Judy Schindler
Judy Seldin-Cohen is the latest to join a long
line of Charlotte Jews recognized by the non-Jew-
ish community for their active civic engagement.
On October 29, Seldin-Cohen received the 2020
Lifetime Advocate Award from the YWCA Cen-