Jewish Food Festival

WORDS BY LINDSEY ADKISON

IIt’s been said, “to understand a culture, you have to taste it.” And that’s the foundation of the Jewish Food Festival.

First hosted by members of Temple Beth Tefilloh in 2015, there have been several incarnations of the springtime event, which shines a light on the dishes that have been gracing tables for generations.

“We did the first one at Morningstar Marina,” explains Rande Simpson, an organizer and temple member. “Then we moved to downtown. We had it for three years until 2020 when we canceled it due to the pandemic.”

But come March 12, it will be back. The festival will be held from noon to 3 p.m. in Jekyll Square, next to Tipsy McSway’s in downtown Brunswick. Athens-based band Klemzer 42 will perform.

“We’ve had them before and they’re great,” Simpson says.

As with years past, they will feature a number of booths featuring traditional Jewish dishes.

“Some of the food is provided by temple members. A lot of it can’t be bought here,” she says. “I know that we’ve had someone make kugel in the past, which is a noodle pudding with cheese. We have had matzo ball soup and latkes.”

Of course, bread is another key element and often appears on Jewish tables. Challah bread is made weekly for the Friday evening Shabbat service and has become a tradition for many in the faith.

Dr. Carla Bluhm started baking bread in the early days of the pandemic.

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“… almost every Friday starting in April 2020. So it’s been going on for a while,” Bluhm says with a laugh. “It’s the woven bread that we use in the ceremony with a specific prayer each week. There are a lot of different holidays that are marked by different kinds of food.”

While Bluhm, a Temple Beth Tefilloh member and college professor, is an avid baker, she also understands as a psychology professor the deeper link between food and culture.

“It actually becomes a dialogue. It’s called gastrodiplomacy, and it’s the idea that if you really want to understand a people, you eat their food,” she says.

“If you live in more urban areas, you’re exposed to these foods more frequently than we are here. In less urban places, it’s really exciting to bring these foods together so that they can be accessed easily. You don’t have to travel. At the food festival, they are there for everybody to try.”

While the public will be able to enjoy a flavorful afternoon, the temple also benefits from the exchange.

“It’s a fundraising opportunity for us,” Simpson says. “And of course, we want to be able to introduce the community to the music and food. In the past, we’ve even had a Jewish wedding or vow renewal. It’s always a big hit.”

• Temple Beth Tefilloh will host its annual food festival from noon to 3 p.m. March 12 in Jekyll Square, next to Tipsy McSway’s in downtown Brunswick. Jewish food and music will be shared. For details, visit bethtefilloh.org.

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