The Jewish Holiday Table - by Naama Shefi & Devra Ferst (Hardcover)

About the Book

"From Rosh Hashanah and Passover to Hanukkah and weekly shabbat dinners, this joyous celebration of all the Jewish holidays offers a treasury of 130 recipes gathered from 30 influential chefs and food professionals around the globe, whose shared stories illuminate the diversity of the Jewish diaspora and its cuisine. As contributor Mitchell Davis puts it, the meal is the holiday. Whether it's the Seder plate or a cheesecake for shavout, Jewish holiday foods tell the story of what it means to be Jewish and cook Jewish food. Author Naama Shefi, founder of the Jewish Food Society, introduces readers to 30 influential Jewish chefs and culinary professionals who share their most beloved holiday recipes, with stories of their family histories. For Hanukkah, pastry chef Nir Mesika recounts how her Egyptian and Moroccon grandmothers competed in a donut duel, with one's sfenj challenging the other's zalabia. Ron Arazi, owner of New York Shuk, shares his grandfather's recipe for a fava bean and harissa soup that he serves during Sukkot under the sukkah he builds in his Brooklyn backyard. Chef Beejhy Barhany offers her recipe for dabo, an Ethiopian bread that her family enjoyed every shabbat, even while they fled their country for refugee in Sudan. The Jewish Holiday Table illuminates the common Jewish story of seeking a home-through exodus, immigration, or simply moving on-and finding it in the food traditions shared across borders and generations"--

Book Synopsis

For many Jews, the meal is the holiday

Collected by the Jewish Food Society, an organization dedicated to preserving Jewish cuisine around the world, the 135 recipes and accompanying stories in The Jewish Holiday Table are a dazzling expression of all the ways we celebrate through what we bring to the table.

Discover menus for a Persian Rosh Hashanah feast, a Ukrainian-Mexican Seder, an Iraqi spread for Purim. And a memorable Hanukkah tale of grandmothers competing in a doughnut duel, with one's Moroccan sfenj recipe challenging the other's Egyptian zalabia. Reflecting three thousand years of love and loss, culture and change, each dish captures the soul of what's served in a Jewish home on a Jewish holiday.

Review Quotes

"The Jewish Holiday Table is a reminder that food and culture are inextricable--and our most cherished dishes endure through breathless storytelling and a deep, abiding love of gathering and community."--Natasha Pickowicz, chef and author of More Than Cake

"Food is the best gateway into known and unknown cultures, history, and beliefs. I wish I had been fortunate enough to grow up with holiday traditions as beautiful and delicious as the recipes in this lovely, heartwarming book."--Nadine Levy Redzepi, co-owner of Noma and author of Downtime

"Moving stories and delicious recipes imbued with memories and history."--Claudia Roden, food writer and author of The Book of Jewish Food and The New Book of Middle Eastern Food

"The Jewish Food Society has rediscovered a treasure trove of recipes for every generation and in doing so captured the essence of l'dor v'dor."--Michael Solomonov, chef and co-owner of Zahav and co-owner of CookNSolo Restaurants

"This book carefully unravels diverse Jewish traditions with great skill and depth. I love how personal it is, and how generous and delicious."--Yotam Ottolenghi, cookbook author

"This cookbook is like a family reunion told across tables that cross borders, time, tastes, and seasons. It tells our story in a way that is uniquely Jewish, joyful and sparkling with life. It's a must-have."--Michael W. Twitty, winner of the James Beard Award and the National Jewish Book Award and author of The Cooking Gene and Koshersoul

About the Author

Naama Shefi is a kibbutznik and New Yorker whose work sits at the intersection of food, culture, community building, and art. In 2017, she founded the Jewish Food Society, a nonprofit organization, which preserves and celebrates Jewish culinary heritage through a digital recipe archive and dynamic events. In the summer of 2021, she launched Asif: Culinary Institute of Israel, a center in Tel Aviv dedicated to exploring the diverse and creative food culture of Israel. She lives on the Lower East Side with her husband, Ilan, and their daughter, Ella.