The book traces various aspects of the history of Jews at Colgate University, from its inception to the present. Individual chapters focus on the evolution of Jewish identities at Colgate; the consequences of Colgate's transition from a Baptist institution to a non-sectarian liberal arts college; Jewish religious life on campus and the transformation in Jewish space over the last half of the twentieth century;the social life and status of jews at Colgate, primarily examining fraternities and quasi-fraternities; periods of resistance to anti-semitic discrimination at Colgate, especially during the 1950s-70s, 1980s-early 90s, and 1980s-2000s; Colgate Jews on the global stage.

“Explore[s] the Jewish past via letters that reflect connections and collisions between old and new worlds.” —Jewish Book Council At the turn of the 20th century, Jewish families scattered by migration could stay in touch only through letters. Jews in the Russian Empire and America wrote business letters, romantic letters, and emotionally intense family letters. But for many Jews who were unaccustomed to communicating their public and private thoughts in writing, correspondence was a challenge. How could they make sure their spelling was correct and they were organizing their thoughts properly? A popular solution was to consult brivnshtelers, Yiddish-language books of model letters. Dear Mendl, Dear Reyzl translates selections from these model-letter books and includes essays and annotations that illuminate their role as guides to a past culture. “Covers a neglected aspect of Jewish popular culture and deserves a wide readership. For all serious readers of Yiddish and immigrant Jewish culture and customs.” —Library Journal “Delivers more than one would expect because it goes beyond a linguistic study of letter-writing manuals and explicates their genre and social function.” —Slavic Review “Reproductions of brivnshtelers form the core of the book and comprise the majority of the text, providing a ground-level window into a largely obscured past.” —Publishers Weekly “The real delight of the book is in reading the letters themselves . . . Highly recommended.” —AJL Reviews

Ghulam Bombaywala sells bagels in Houston. Demetrios dishes up pizza in Connecticut. The Wangs serve tacos in Los Angeles. How ethnicity has influenced American eating habits—and thus, the make-up and direction of the American cultural mainstream—is the story told in We Are What We Eat. It is a complex tale of ethnic mingling and borrowing, of entrepreneurship and connoisseurship, of food as a social and political symbol and weapon—and a thoroughly entertaining history of our culinary tradition of multiculturalism. The story of successive generations of Americans experimenting with their new neighbors’ foods highlights the marketplace as an important arena for defining and expressing ethnic identities and relationships. We Are What We Eat follows the fortunes of dozens of enterprising immigrant cooks and grocers, street hawkers and restaurateurs who have cultivated and changed the tastes of native-born Americans from the seventeenth century to the present. It also tells of the mass corporate production of foods like spaghetti, bagels, corn chips, and salsa, obliterating their ethnic identities. The book draws a surprisingly peaceful picture of American ethnic relations, in which “Americanized” foods like Spaghetti-Os happily coexist with painstakingly pure ethnic dishes and creative hybrids. Donna Gabaccia invites us to consider: If we are what we eat, who are we? Americans’ multi-ethnic eating is a constant reminder of how widespread, and mutually enjoyable, ethnic interaction has sometimes been in the United States. Amid our wrangling over immigration and tribal differences, it reveals that on a basic level, in the way we sustain life and seek pleasure, we are all multicultural.

Daughter of the Shtetl is an unusual memoir by an uneducated but sharply observant Jewish woman. Through the eyes of Doba-Mera, we experience the class divisions in shtetl and synagogue; pogroms and wars; working conditions in sewing shops; revolutionary circles around 1905; as well as aspects of everyday life such as education, courtship, housing, food, and illness.

A celebratory collection of over 100 delicious recipes that bring family together at the table each holiday, from Passover to the Festival of Lights. Embrace the international culinary traditions of Jewish cuisine each holiday with Jewish Holiday Cooking. The menu is one of the most important elements to consider when it comes to holiday celebrations. Holiday meals vary widely from Sephardic to Ashkenazic and Mizrahic traditions, meaning that for Jewish people, there’s no one right way to celebrate. With nostalgic recipes and new dishes inspired from Moroccan, Russian, German, and more cuisines, these dishes rich in variety and heritage are sure to satisfy and delight. This cookbook includes: - Over 250 flavorful recipes that celebrate regional authenticity and modern flair - Sample holiday menus for Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, Passover, breaking the fast of Yom Kippur, and Shabbat dinner - Exquisite dishes such as Salted Honey Apple Upside-Down Cake, White Wine Braised Leeks, Cholent, Sufganiyot, Bourekas, Keftes de Espinaca, Tzimmes Chicken with Apricots, Prunes & Carrots, Charoset, Matzo Brei, and more. With this cookbook, you can explore the regional flavors that have informed this deeply cultural cuisine. Whether you’re preparing your first Passover feast or looking for new inspiration to bring to your table, bring joy to any celebration with Jewish Holiday Cooking.

Food is central to daily religious practice and holiday celebrations the world over. For instance, Orthodox Jews keep kosher, Muslims feast after fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, and Hindus leave food offerings in the temple for the dieties. For many, food is seen as nourishment for the body and soul. This cookbook illuminates the food practices of followers of the world's major religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Shintoism. The narrative and nearly 300 recipes give a flavor of what is often eaten for sacred occasions and why. This volume will be useful for a range of cooks and purposes. It is targeted to middle school age to adults. Those looking for more and different recipes for religion class assignments and International Week Food Festival or even for browsing will be richly rewarded with a one-stop resource. Each chapter covers a religion or two with similar food practices. A brief overview of the religion is followed by a discussion of any dietary restrictions. Then the recipes are organized by holiday or special occasion, featuring from appetizers to desserts. Recipes are culled from a variety of countries and cultures where the religion is practiced. The recipes are contextualized and have clear instructions for the novice cook. A final section in some chapters allows readers to recreate what the religion's founder or major figures might have eaten during their lifetime. A glossary defines what might be unfamiliar cooking terms and food and kitchen items. An introduction, list of recipes, conversion measurements, bibliography, index, and illustrations round out the cookbook.

Describes the lives of the Jewish inhabitants of a tenement building in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn in the thirties

100 traditional yet surprisingly modern recipes from the far northern corners of Russia, featuring ingredients and dishes that young Russians are rediscovering as part of their heritage. IACP AWARD FINALIST • LONGLISTED FOR THE ART OF EATING PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST AND FORBES “A necessary resource for food writers and for eaters, a fascinating read and good excuse to make fermented oatmeal.”—Bon Appétit Russian cookbooks tend to focus on the food that was imported from France in the nineteenth century or the impoverished food of the Soviet era. Beyond the North Wind explores the true heart of Russian food, a cuisine that celebrates whole grains, preserved and fermented foods, and straightforward but robust flavors. Recipes for a dazzling array of pickles and preserves, infused vodkas, homemade dairy products such as farmers cheese and cultured butter, puff pastry hand pies stuffed with mushrooms and fish, and seasonal vegetable soups showcase Russian foods that are organic and honest--many of them old dishes that feel new again in their elegant minimalism. Despite the country's harsh climate, this surprisingly sophisticated cuisine has an incredible depth of flavor to offer in dishes like Braised Cod with Horseradish, Roast Lamb with Kasha, Black Currant Cheesecake, and so many more. This home-style cookbook with a strong sense of place and evocative storytelling brings to life a rarely seen portrait of Russia, its people, and its palate—with 100 recipes, gorgeous photography, and essays on the little-known culinary history of this fascinating and wild part of the world.

Indian, Romanian, Hungarian, Georgian, Ukrainian, Moroccan, German, Alsatian, and Middle Eastern Jewry; culinary conversations with contemporary members of these ancient and medieval communities; and fascinating commentary on Jewish food and Jewish history.