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Photos by Brett Mountain

Cassie VanWynen of Fowlerville and Bailey
Lininger of Ferndale of Tamarack Camps

Leora Rubin of Ann Arbor with Maya, 5, Isaac, 6
months, and Reena, 3

The first Jewish Food Festival drew a large crowd and had something for everyone.

Jewish Food

Festival

Hazon hosts event
full of noshing,
shmoozing and
learning about food.

Keri Guten Cohen | Story Development Editor

E

Ava, 22 months, and Dov Gardin of West Orange, N.J., wave from inside Hazon’s
national traveling educational Topsy-Turvy Bus.

astern Market’s Shed 5 was
transformed by Hazon and its
partners into a wondrous world
of Jewish food, culture and concern at
the first annual Jewish Food Festival
held Aug. 28.
This was not mere food sampling,
though there were plenty of nibbles.
Instead, this family event showcased
our shared Jewish history through
cooking demonstrations, talks by noted
chefs and information about healthy
food, sustainability, the environment,
fair wages for food workers, and
spirituality surrounding food and food
justice.
Jewish agencies, organizations and

synagogues also had tables and offered
samplings of a different kind by high-
lighting their programs. Many provided
kids’ activities as well.
Non-Jewish food entrepreneurs were
included — and kosher offerings were
clearly marked. Hazon consulted with
the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of
Greater Detroit on kosher matters.
The event drew more than 5,000 par-
ticipants from all streams of Judaism as
well as others who wandered in from
another event in Shed 3. With all of
Shed 5’s garage-door-style windows
wide open, the space was still a little
sticky, even on a fairly mild Sunday.
“The food festival was a great oppor-

continued on page 28

26 September 8 • 2016