The Sephardic Roots of Israeli Cuisine

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We’re thrilled to be a partner with JArts Boston on their Taste of Israel festival for this event.

You simply can’t understand Israeli cuisine without understanding Sephardic cooking. Sephardic Jews kept their recipes alive through the dark centuries of the Inquisition, passing down to us a rich culinary tradition combining Spanish, Arabic and Mediterranean influences. Those recipes and ingredients are deeply woven into Israeli cuisine, in a country where 50% of the Jewish population is of Sephardic or Mizrachi ancestry.

Join Hélène Jawhara Piñer as she cooks from her critically acclaimed 2021 cookbook, “Sephardi: Cooking the History. Recipes of the Jews of Spain and the Diaspora, from the 13th Century to Today” and joins in conversation with Forward National and Food Editor Rob Eshman. You will learn to recreate the magic of adefina, the Sephardic Shabbat stew (like cholent, but with flavor!) and we will explore the wonders of pomegranate juice, from the ancient texts of Maimonides to the streets of Tel Aviv. Join Helene as she illuminates the remarkable journey of Sephardic Jews from Spain through Arab lands and into Israel.

Read more about her book here.