On the spectrum of Jewish foods, gefilte fish is at the extreme end of iconic Ashkenazi fare. And bacon? Well… it’s not even on the spectrum. But the two are brought together in the passions and profession of Brooklynite Jeffrey Yoskowitz.

Along with Liz Alpern and Jackie Lilinshtein, Yoskowitz, 28, launched an artisanally crafted, sustainably sourced and kosher gefilte fish company called The Gefilteria earlier this year. The company sells traditional Jewish foods, including pickles, kvass and their signature gefilte fish — all reimagined through the lens of modern food sensibilities — at local markets or by delivery for the holidays. Their manifesto embodies the principles of the burgeoning nouveau Jewish food movement: “We of The Gefilteria plan to bring our foods out of the jar and back to the street, to the pushcarts where we began, to the flavors of the people.”

When Yoskowitz isn’t in the Gefilteria kitchen in Queens, or testing out old-world recipes to revive, he’s researching his other passion — the Jewish relationship to pork. While pork has never passed his lips, he argued in an interview with the Forward that “[pork] is as much a part of my Jewish identity as eating gefilte fish.” Yoskowitz’s website, Pork Memoirs, which launched in May 2011, provides a virtual space for Jews and others to share their “personal stories about a complicated meat.” He is at work on a book about the pork industry in Israel.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount