The Jewish Delis We Said Goodbye To In 2018

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) With offerings like the classic pastrami or corned beef sandwich and rich matzah ball soup, the deli has long provided our nation with a uniquely Jewish-American take on comfort food. In 2018, we said goodbye to a great number of Jewish delis, that, sadly, closed their doors and their kitchens.
Most notably for New Yorkers, Ben’s Best Deli in Rego Park, Queens closed down after 73 years of serving warm and comforting kosher Jewish deli food.
While the Jewish deli is an American invention, popularized by Jewish immigrants in New York, delis overseas are also closing. In 2018, London said goodbye to Gabi’s Deli, which closed after over 50 years in operation.
My Jewish Learning posted a video compilation of the shuttered delis.
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
