A Seat at the Holiday Table: Food, Faith, and Community forToledo’s Jewish High Holidays Text and Photos by Mary Bilyeu Community Relations Programming Specialist Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo As this issue of Toledo Streets Newspaper goes to print, the Jewish community is in the midst of its monthlong High Holiday season: Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year), Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Sukkot (an eight-day harvest festival), Simchat Torah (marking the completion of the year’s cycle of Torah readings), and Shemini Atzeret (the end of Sukkot) … whew! It’s a joyous time of celebration, community, and tradition coupled with more serious aspects – introspection, remembrance, self-improvement, responsibility. And there’s food. Lots of food. Food is an essential part of virtually any holiday, whether it’s a religious one (eggs served at Easter or dates to begin each iftar during Ramadan) or secular (fl ag cake for the 4th of July). I’ve written extensively, and taught classes in the past, about the interconnectedness of faith and food traditions, as it’s one of my very favorite topics. What better way is there to discover a person’s heart – their history, their culture, their worldview – than by sharing a meal, particularly during a religious holiday that features once-a-year specialty dishes? “What relevance does this bread or vegetable preparation have to your faith – why is it important?” “How do you make this vs. how a fellow Baha’i or Pagan or Hindu from a different area of the world might prepare it?” “How has it evolved from your grandmother to your mom to you?” It’s the consummate conversation starter. Because it is essential that we learn about our commonality, our shared beliefs, and our mutual aspirations by communicating with each other. It is critical that we focus on our shared humanity rather than on our differences, which can sometimes seem insurmountable. And there is no more delicious way to accomplish this goal than through sharing food with others, nurturing community through conversation over a meal. Since the holidays are half over, and in my new house I don’t have a dining room to literally offer you a seat at my table, let me take advantage of this “Holy Toledo!” issue of Toledo Streets to talk about the foods of the High Holidays. Each has distinct items associated with it, full of symbolism. At Rosh Hashanah, we dip apple slices into honey with hopes of ushering in a sweet new year. We also eat foods that represent plenty – both the number of good deeds we should aspire to performing and the number of blessings we hope our family and friends might enjoy – such as breads topped with sesame seeds or, my personal favorite, everything bagel seasoning. Round items remind us of the cyclical nature of the year and the circle of life; classic options of this variety include braided challah and matzah ball soup – or, as I made last year, Matzah Fall Soup with autumn leaf-shaped pasta added. Sukkot invites families and friends to share meals together in a temporary outdoor structure called a sukkah; by welcoming others, you multiply the joy and nurture not only body and soul, but also relationships with loved ones. Because this holiday celebrates the harvest, fall’s glorious produce – for example, squash, pears, plums – is generally featured on menus. And we all know it can be chilly and rainy at this time of year, so warming soups and stews and casseroles feature prominently. Foods for Simchat Torah, which comes near the end of Sukkot, are also often a play on Torah scrolls, with blintzes or cabbage rolls as favorites. Yom Kippur is a fast day – no food or water permitted – lasting from one sundown to the next. But food is still an essential component, both ingesting suffi cient nourishment and hydration beforehand and also breaking the fast sensibly. Carbohydrates and light proteins, such as fi sh, are ideal; therefore, a bagel tray featuring lox is practically de rigueur! Noodle kugel (think of a rice pudding made instead with pasta), honey cake, and fruits can all usually be found on the table, perhaps accompanied by apple cider. And just as it is expected to break the daily fast during Ramadan in community, sharing the beauty and the bounty with others, the same holds true when Jews break their fast, as well. I must note that all of these dietary traditions can vary greatly by heritage. Here in Toledo, the Jewish community is overwhelmingly Ashkenazi, with ancestors who came from Central and Eastern Europe. The Sephardim (descended from those who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula during the Spanish Inquisition) and the Mizrahim (originally from the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia) Page 9 share different customs based upon their geographical and culinary history. I could take up this entire issue with the dissertation I’d have to write to go over it all! But anyone who’d like to know (and maybe sample?) more is welcome to reach out to me: mary@jewishtoledo. org. Cooking classes, resources, connections to multi-/interfaith groups … I can point you in the right direction, or maybe put together a program myself. For me, the foods of the High Holidays offer an opportunity to eat intentionally, mindfully, seasonally, and locally. It’s a tradition for me to head to farmers’ markets, farm stands, and locally-owned grocers to gather ingredients for the various meals I’ll be preparing: honey, apples, sweet corn, herbs and spices, fl our, dairy products, vegetables and fruits, wine, and more. Toledo is blessed to be situated in the middle of a rich agricultural region, and the fall celebrations take place at peak harvest. Northwest Ohio has been so very kind to me – so heymish (Yiddish for warm, welcoming) – that it’s important to me to give back by supporting area growers and producers. Each one has a seat at my holiday table in a way, as we usher in the happiest, sweetest new year together. Matzah Ball Soup Ollie Bilyeu-Rochkind samples apples and honey at Rosh Hashanah
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