New Jewish Teen Tour Focuses on Food and Fitness

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Food culture has long been an interest of adults, but lately, teens are getting in on the trend too — and now, Jewish teen foodies can get their culinary fix over the summer. Zeke Teen’s new three-week travel program gives rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders the opportunity to experience the food and fitness cultures of New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston through a Jewish lens. Teens will learn about the culinary traditions of these three iconic northeastern cities, shop for spices at local markets, cook meals with master chefs, work out with top trainers, and help feed the hungry at local nonprofits.
While in New York, for example, participants will get a Jewish food tour of the Lower East Side. They’ll select ingredients at neighborhood shops in Chinatown, visit the world-famous farmers’ market in Union Square, and then get culinary lessons from renowned chefs, such as Buddha Bodai’s Kent Zhang. They’ll also squeeze in heart-pumping workouts in unlikely places, including a boot camp on the Brooklyn Bridge.
While there may be more teen cooking shows on TV, we hope to get some teens off the couch and out into three fascinating culinary cities this summer!
Lisa and Isaac Mamaysky are the founders and directors of Camp Zeke, the first Jewish overnight camp to celebrate healthy, active living through whole foods, culinary arts, fitness and athletics.
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