Jewish Food Is More Than Matzoh Balls «

Dan Pashman: Did you ever cook on the kibbutz?

Naama Shefi: No … 

Dan Pashman: [LAUGHS] 

Naama Shefi: I did many, many other jobs. I worked in the cornfield, watermelon field, in a kiosk — we had like in this country club that was open to outside, like to the city people, and that job I really loved because I was responsible to make paninis. It was just like a fun gig relatively to the other — you know, the other jobs were very difficult. I also worked at the communal — how you say it? Like where you iron your clothes,

Dan Pashman: Oh, like a dry cleaner. Not really, but, like … 

Naama Shefi: Yeah, not really. [LAUGHS] 

Dan Pashman: Right, like a laundromat.

Naama Shefi: Yes.

Dan Pashman: Okay. 

Naama Shefi: That was a nightmare.

Dan Pashman: [LAUGHS] 

Naama Shefi: Truly. 

Dan Pashman: So you like pressing paninis. You don’t like pressing clothes.

Naama Shefi: Exactly. 

Dan Pashman: Okay. [LAUGHS[ 

Naama Shefi: To this day!

[LAUGHING] 

Naama Shefi: Yes. 

MUSIC

Dan Pashman: This is The Sporkful, it’s not for foodies, it’s for eaters. I’m Dan Pashman. Each week on our show we obsess about food to learn more about people. This week’s episode is a conversation with Naama Shefi, founder of the Jewish Food Society. We taped it back in February, and it’s about her personal journey: growing up in Israel, coming to the U.S., and using food to create Jewish community in America.

Dan Pashman: But we can’t talk about Israel without acknowledging all the suffering that’s going on there and especially in Gaza. I won’t go into specifics here, I’m sure you’re aware of it. A staggering number of people have been displaced, taken hostage, and killed. I know folks around the world, including me, we’re all feeling the pain of all of it. If you want to support some of the organizations providing aid to people in need on the ground, we have links in our show notes.

MUSIC

Dan Pashman: The Jewish holiday of Passover is a few weeks away, and like…