Opening Reflection

Two words that bring a smile: Jews and food.

It’s a relationship seen in all our holidays. Matzah on Pesach, cheesecake on Shavuot, honey and apples on Rosh HaShanah. But also think of the great Jewish holiday where we don’t eat food – Yom Kippur. One way or another, food is at the heart of our story.

On a “top-level” basis, humans use food in a way no other earthly creature does. Everything needs to eat in order to live, but humans alone search for meaning when they eat. The examples of this run from the silly to the sacred: food-eating competitions, cooking shows featuring chefs using tweezers and dry ice, cherished family recipes handed down from generation to generation, and religious moments. The food we take in both sustains and nurtures us. The tastes, textures and aromas of food become an opportunity to be inspired by the abundance of life and the mastery humans over it. Which is to say, food is material and emotional. We eat and we feel. You can eat the same thing alone and then with people you love and the food won’t “taste” the same to you.

So this season, let’s turn our thoughts (and stomachs) to Hanukkah, where food and joy come in bundles of latkes and sufganiyot.

In his “Encyclopedia of Jewish Food,” Gil Marks  traces the spread of ricotta cheese pancakes, which originated as a Hanukkah  food in Italy and spread through Europe. In the Mediterranean, olive oil and butter were common cooking fats, but in Eastern Europe, schmaltz (chicken or meat fat) was more readily available. Kosher law prohibits mixing meat and  milk, so Gil Marks argues that cheese pancakes were replaced by potatoes and  turnips. For those who battle between sour cream and applesauce, we now have your answer: if shmaltz was used to fry the latke, then sour cream would have been prohibited, and the latkes would have been served with a fruit spread (a point for Team Applesauce). Today, of course, vegetable oil is universally used.

This year on Sunday night, December 14th, we will light the 1st candle of Chanukah and, along with it, the tradition of eating sufganiyot - those round, puffy, jam-filled donuts. For that, we give our thanks to Berlin.  Every year in December, stores and kiosks throughout the city of Berlin sell Berliners, large, round, jam-filled donuts. In the 1920s and 30’s, escaping German  Jews brought the recipe to Israel with them, and I dare say Hanukkah has never been the same.

So, as you sink your teeth into that fluffy fried pillow, be sure to say: danke schoen.

Hag Orot Sameach! May our light vanquish the darkness around us.

Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich

Explore the latest insights from our pulpit on Straight From The Pulpit (And Heart) — available on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, and on our website.

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Encyclopedia of Jewish Food
Gil Marks

Why? Gil Marks brings extraordinary breadth and scholarship to the foods that shape Jewish life. More than a culinary reference, this volume traces how dishes migrated across continents, adapted to new environments, and became expressions of Jewish resilience, creativity, and identity. It is a compelling resource for anyone who wants to understand how history, culture, and faith live on our plates.

The Hungry Soul: Eating and the Perfecting of Our Nature
Leon Kass

Why? Leon Kass explores eating as one of the most profound human acts, elevating it from a biological necessity to a gateway for gratitude, discipline, community, and wonder. Drawing on philosophy, tradition, and ethics, Kass challenges us to consider how meals shape our character and our relationships. It is a meaningful companion on why food is never just food.

Closing Thoughts

As we light the first candle on December 14 and savour the tastes of the season, may our tables remind us that every bite holds a story. May our celebrations be filled with warmth, gratitude, and connection. May the light we kindle drive away the darkness around us and within our world..

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