Cooking with The Jewish Food Society

Prepare culturally Jewish dishes, spend time in community, and learn about the family story behind each recipe. This in-person cooking workshop, led by two Jewish Food Society team members, will include making three dishes from the Jewish Food Society archive and cookbook, reflecting the diversity of Jewish life and experience (each recipe comes from a family with a different background and traditions). After making the dishes in smaller teams, the group will come together to enjoy the dishes they made and discus relevant themes that the stories highlight such as immigration, identity, and resilience.

Showcasing diversity is central to Jewish Food Society work. It allows them to tell a story that is more resonant to more people, and it challenges false perceptions with positive celebrations of the ethnic, cultural, racial and gastronomic diversity held within the community.

Presenter Bios:

Yael Raviv joined Jewish Food Society as COO in 2021. She is the author of Falafel Nation: Cuisine and the Making of National Identity in Israel (2015) and numerous articles on food and culture. Yael received her PhD from NYU’s Department of Performance Studies, and subsequently taught at NYU’s Nutrition and Food Studies Department as well as at UNISG (Bra, Italy). She founded and helmed the non-profit Umami food and art festival through 2020.

Talya Avisar is a culinary and hospitality professional with experience in restaurant management, recipe development, and food content. After serving as General Manager at the Michelin-starred Shmoné, she now works as Culinary Manager at the Jewish Food Society, overseeing all culinary aspects of the organization—from recipe testing to studio shoots and cooking demonstrations.

The Asheville JCC, the Center for Jewish Studies and CBHT Sisterhood present a Hands On Culinary Workshop from the Jewish Food Society.