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The Schmooze

4 Jewish Fun Facts For Pretzel Day

Written while noshing on pretzels at Forward HQ. Here are some interesting facts to impress your Jewish family and friends on #nationalpretzelday.

1) Kim Oster-Holstein of Kim and Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels is one BAF (Bad Ass Female). She’s the founder of Kim and Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels and CEO/CIO “Chief Inspiration Officer” of Crave Bar, a local food truck turned business in Chicago selling droolworthy ice cream pretzel bars. She was also on the Jewish Women International (JWI)’s Women to Watch in 2010. You can follow her on instagram @pretzelmom.

2) Pretzels are very popular in Israel and are actually called “ beygale” in Hebrew. Confusing, I know. Challah and pretzels, two of the greatest carbs out there, are better together. Try your hand at baking a challah pretzel, the hybrid every Jew needs to try.

3) This photo was taken in 1936 at City Hall in New York City, not too far from the Forward office. Pretzels are still a common street food, but at least vendors no longer have to tote them around in wicker baskets.

4) Want to watch a on-theme movie? Ilan Heitner wrote and directed “Wisdom of the Pretzel”(Hebrew title: Hochmat HaBeygale), based on his best-selling novel. The movie is a romantic comedy about young people in Tel Aviv, their aspirations, relationships, and difficult choices they make and regrets with which they must live.

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