They Tried to Kill Us, We Won, Let’s Eat! Jewish Food and Antisemitism

Jews have been oppressed throughout history. But every pot has a silver lining. Let’s look at the lighter side of darkness. How have Jews turned challenges into opportunities, and what delicious foods did we draw directly from the crucible of antisemitism?

Joel Haber researches, writes about and lectures on the topic of Jewish Food history, with a focus on understanding Jewish culture and history via our foods. His writing appears on his blog (www.tasteofjew.com) along with articles in such publications as The Nosher, The Forward, Tradition and The Jewish Journal. He has delivered around twenty-five lectures on the topic, in both online and in-person venues in multiple countries. Joel is also currently writing a book that examines Shabbat stews from around the world, using them as a way of tracing the routes of Jewish migrations throughout history.

Additionally, Joel has worked as a licensed tour guide in Israel for nearly a decade. In addition to hundreds of tours of a general nature, his most popular single tour is a culinary tasting and history tour in Jerusalem’s famous outdoor market, Shuk Machane Yehuda. Nearly 3,100 individuals have already joined him on that tour, along with countless others who have joined a virtual version of that tour via Zoom.