For Openers...

Exotic Trends
In Jewish Eating

A

phone book and looking under
shal, who brought this story to my
h, pity the unfortunate
"Restaurants-Chinese."
attention,
the entrepreneurs first
members of Temple Ner
I once heard about a woman who,
decided to develop a catchy name,
Tamid, Peabody, Mass.
wracked with guilt, confessed to her
one that would reflect the unique
What an excruciating
rabbi that she had an over-
nature of this blend of cultures.
dilemma these folks face
whelming penchant for cer-
"SoSueMe," they felt, sounded just a
each time they approach
tain
forbidden
items.
"We
bit
litigious. Next, they considered
their lovely synagogue! After
keep
strictly
kosher
at
"Benny
and Chanah." And they
exiting the highway, as I
home,"
she
proclaimed,
really
liked
"Sy 'n Ira."
recall from a visit two years
"but we do eat non-kosher
But the winner, possibly appearing
ago, there are a few twists
food outside the house."
soon in a strip mall near you or
and turns leading to one
"That's perfectly all right,"
maybe even across the street from,
final traffic light. To the
the
rabbi
assured
her.
"Your
your
synagogue, is the restaurant
left, at 368 Lowell Street,
dishes
will
go
to
heaven."
with
this
title over the door:
the congregation's driveway.
And
an
authoritative
fellow
"Remember
Pearl Farber." ❑
To the right, at 373 Lowell
RABBI BOB
I
met
in
Boston
brought
Street, the attractive, beck-
ALPER
me up to speed with what
oning and utterly seductive
Special
to
he swore are new dietary
Su Chang's Chinese Restau-
The Jewish News rules. "For the Jews of
rant.
Maine, and Maine only,"
Talk about agonizing
he
somberly
pronounced, "lobster is
decisions!
(A little taste of Yiddish.)
now
permitted."
Then he added,
It's well known that Jews absolute-
with
a
wink,
"But
NO
BUTTER."
ly adore Chinese food, and Chinese
te- i)st4res -ert men
Recently, yet another phenome-
restaurateurs warmly welcome their
der veita2s.
non from the East has infiltrated
Jewish patrons. When I was a kid we
Jewish
life.
Japanese
food
is
enjoying
Good tidings are heard
often observed the sacred Sunday
fronifar atc?ay
a rising popularity, suggesting to sev-
night ritual, chopsticks and all. My
eral
investors
that
the
time
was
ripe
father, more adventurous that the
ou thin postcards were
to launch a chain of Jewish/Japanese
rest of us, enjoyed sampling new
en
restaurants.
items. One evening he inquired
According
to
Rabbi
Bruce
War-
about a few of the specials and
seemed to be settling on one particu-
lar dish. The Chinese waiter thought
for a brief moment, gave a negative
shrug and advised, "Naah. That's for
goyim."
"This is Rosh Hashanah in the summer."
Some would blithely explain Jews'
— Rabbi Harold Loss, of Temple Israel
attraction to Oriental delicacies by
at
Shabbat
services
held outdoors Friday night in the
pointing out that the Chinese are
L'Dor
V'Dor
Garden
and
seeing
an
overflow crowd of 800 people.
experts at preparing vegetarian fare.
The more cynical observer would
"One of the objectives of the video is to make the seemingly esoteric texts palat-
note that in Chinese food, all of the
able to a '90s audience, making it relevant to their own fears, anxieties and
pork and shellfish are diced up
sense of alienation."
beyond recognition.
— Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in
In certain major cities, savvy tray-,
Baltimore, speaking about a new Orthodox Union video, "Piercing the Iron
elers who wish to locate primarily
Wall," which provides a powerful psychological reading of some of the lamenta-
Jewish neighborhoods do so simply
tions that inspired and moved generations of mourning Jews.
by opening the Yellow Pages of the

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7/31
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Detroit Jewish News

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