Service Description

Come along with Balabuste Naomi Stein as they unpack food as culture bearer, as medicine and as memory holder. We will follow the journey of Jewish foods, with a focus on plants and herbs, as they migrated from our Biblical homeland throughout the diaspora. Come explore the influence of neighboring communities as well as the skillful adaptation of the Jewish cooks and herbalists of the diaspora, the importance of geography, agriculture, and the issue of “cultural appropriation.” We will reveal treasured history embedded in recipes, and share the stories that flavor our foods. We will explore how dishes and recipes "traveled" and evolved. We will also consider Naomi Stein's bold assertion that Jewish women have and continue to treat our families and communities through the foods we serve, as we investigate the relationship between the healing properties of common Jewish foods and the particular medical concerns of Jewish communities. We will dive into the diets of a variety of diasporic communities, from the Mediterranean to Africa to Europe and the Americas. Our topics will include a discussion of Jewish culture, ethnicity and Kashrut, and current work in “foodways” and ethnographic research into diet and cuisine as well as these specific areas of Jewish food in history. In addition to the $36 class fee, in-person class includes an additional $7 materials fee. Oakland location revealed upon registration.