What diet contains foods that can decrease inflammation, help develop a healthy, fiber fueled microbiome, up your nutrient content from that of the average American diet, help support your immune system? EAT FOODS TRADITIONAL TO THE ASHKENAZI DIET! What?? You are asking in disbelief!

When we think of Eastern European Jewish foods, we often think of deli meat, lox and bagel or holiday foods. Delicious, but admittedly, not associated with being the healthiest spreads. But if we actually look at the foods that were eaten traditionally by Ashkenazic Jewish families in previous centuries, we see a different story. We’ll dispel myths and take a deeper look into the some of the classic foods along with their nutritional and health benefits. These include some of the powerhouses sited by modern science for health: garlic, beets, fish, legumes, berries, mushrooms as well as other healing foods like bone broth and cabbage. These foods were eaten by a poor population, so many of the recipes are budget conscious and don’t waste food.

We will learn some of the basic recipes from Ashkenazic Jewish cuisine easily made in a modern kitchen along with the nutritive and medicinal properties of the foods. Fun!

Rivka Schwartz is an herbalist, nature educator, and Wellness Coach certified by the Mayo Clinic (and Rav Jeremy’s sister).

But Wait, There’s More!

Our Tikkun Leyl Shavuot (Feast of Weeks Self-and-Cosmos-Repair-through-learning) will also include SINGING, a CHEESECAKE CONTEST (please list your ingredients if you bring one), and DRUMMING on pizza boxes (to be provided) with Ellen Shapiro, drum-circle leader extraordinaire!