Image by Flickr/Tonya Jacobsen

Who invented the pizza bagel? Seems like an innocent question, but it’s sparked a nasty war of words.

In this corner: Boston baker Richard Katz, who claims his father, Harry, invented the cheese-and-sauce-topped treat. Across: L.A. financial guy Bruce Treitman, who swears he created the pizza bagel while goofing around in the back of a local bagel store in the 1970s. Who’s right? Read and judge for yourself…

Mayor Rahm’s Favorite Deli Gets an Upgrade

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During his campaign for mayor in 2010, Rahm Emanuel (left) strategized with David Axelrod over lunch at Manny’s.

Rahm Emanuel’s fave Jewish deli will soon see some big changes.

The Sun-Times reports that Manny’s Cafeteria and Delicatessen, long a favorite with Chicago politicians and downtown workers, is getting a million-dollar renovation to be unveiled around Thanksgiving.

Hizzoner usually gets matzo ball soup and a combo corned-beef and pastrami sandwich, owner Dan Raskin tells the Sun-Times. Manny’s turns 75 this year.

‘Not Enough People Care About Kosher Food’

He tried kosher vegetarian, then just plain kosher.

But the owner of Oakland’s Amba restaurant is finally throwing in the towel after three-and-a-half years. “I don’t know what it is — if there’s not enough people who care about Israeli food, or not enough people who care about kosher food,” Jonathan Wornick tells JWeekly.

A group of Amba fans may band together to buy the restaurant. Stay tuned.

N.J. Deli Maven Jack Cooper Dies

Jack Cooper, whose five New Jersey delis routinely won “Best Deli” honors from New Jersey Monthly magazine, has died at 87, TapInto reports. The last of Cooper’s restaurants, Celebrity Deli in Edison, shuttered in 2003.

A Call to Action for Humane Treatment in Kosher Industry

Haaretz this week sounds a powerful call to action against animal abuse at kosher slaughterhouses. “The laws of keeping kosher were created to promote health and humane practices. It’s time to get back in touch with those values by revising the rules,” writes Alayon Eliach.

Feast Like the Middle East

A program that uses locally sourced and prepared food to connect with young Jews, has won an Innovation Grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater St. Louis. St. Louis digital strategist Shira Berkowitz is its creator.

Question of the Week

From syndicated columnist Phil Ball: “I’m a lapsed Quaker, but I love Jewish deli foods — lox, pastrami, chopped chicken livers with chopped onions and schmaltz, etc. But kosher gelatin? Where do they get it? From herds of orthodox, circumcised Hebrew steers raised in a synagogue?”

Michael Kaminer is a contributing editor at the Forward.

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