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Culinary mission to Israel to be previewed July 18

July 1st, 2012

When it comes to food, Israel is not just a “land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 33:3). It is also the land of foods from Rumania, Ethiopia, Russia, Yemen, India, and many other places, to say nothing of homegrown wines.

Plans for the next Milwaukee Jewish Federation mission to Israel call for exploring this side of the Jewish state. From Feb. 21-March 3, 2013, mission participants are slated to cook with Israeli chefs, visit wineries, celebrate Purim, and do much more.

An informational meeting about this mission is scheduled for Wednesday, July 18, 7 p.m.

Ro’ee Peled — who with his wife Michal is co-emissary from Israel to Milwaukee and is director of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s Israel Center — suggested the idea.

“I love culinary things,” he said in a recent telephone interview. “And the idea of knowing a society through its food sounds fascinating to me.”

Indeed, one can get to know much about Israel’s culture and history through its foods. For one, each of the different groups of immigrant Jews brought their own cuisines to Israel, said Peled.

For another, one can also see how Israeli culture evolved from “a very socialist society” to one that is capitalistic and prosperous, and therefore is “much more sophisticated about food,” Peled said.

Eileen Graves, chair of the shlichut (Israel emissary) committee of the MJF, said in a recent telephone interview, “I love good food and wine, and think [this mission] will be a fun thing to do.”

She added that the MJF has not organized a community mission to Israel since Israel’s 50th anniversary in 1998, and MJF leaders “want very much for the Milwaukee community to have another mission experience.”

This type of mission, she said, “will be good for first-timers, and also be great for people who have been there several times,” as it will enable them “to experience [Israel] in a different way.”

The informational meeting will include an Israeli wine tasting and light refreshments (dietary laws observed). It will be held in a private residence, and admission is free.

Newcomers to Milwaukee’s Jewish community are also invited to this event as part of the Shalom Milwaukee welcome program.

For more information and to make a reservation, contact Peled, 414-390-5705 or roeep@milwaukeejewish.org. Newcomers should contact Lauren Berger, 414-390-5702 or laurenb@milwaukeejewish.org. Reservations can also be made on the MJF website, www.milwaukeejewish.org.