Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

Let’s Eat!
T

his column might be a bit late for 
Rosh Hashanah, but hopefully, you 
will still find it useful. I hadn’t planned 
on writing about this topic, but longtime JN 
food writer Annabel Cohen’s recent article 
about great apple-related recipes for Rosh 
Hashanah, “Sweet Dreams are Made of 
These,
” inspired me (and made me hungry!).
So, I decided to cruise the William 
Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit 
History for holiday recipes. 
Using the search terms “Rosh 
Hashanah” and “Recipes,
” I 
discovered that, over the last 
80 years, the JN published 
more than 300 Rosh Hashanah 
Recipes. And it is likely I 
missed a few additional recipes 
lurking in the pages of the JN
under different holiday spellings. The bottom 
line is: if you like cooking … or eating … or 
cooking and eating … the recipes are very 
interesting reading. 
There are holiday recipes from every 
decade, beginning in the 1940s to the present. 
Among the earliest are those found in an arti-
cle, “Menu Suggestions for the Holidays,
” in 
the Sept. 12, 1947/New Year 5708 issue of the 
JN. It featured recipes for basics such as sweet 
potato casserole, halibut ring and Kashe. The 
Sept. 8, 1950, issue of the JN had a unique 
twist. Famous comedian, Groucho Marx, 
“Spills Family Secret,
” which was a family reci-
pe for “Mushrooms Under Glass.
”
Over the next few decades, there 
are lots of articles that specifical-
ly focus upon “Recipes for Rosh 
Hashanah.
” In the Sept. 4, 1964, JN, an
item under that title featured a com-
plete holiday menu with a main dish of 
chicken, sweet potato, and prune tzim-
mes with cauliflower casserole on the 
side, and a carrot torte for dessert.
Until the 1980s, the holiday recipes 
are largely traditional and European. But, 
then, like society trends at-large, recipes 
began to change. For example, there was 
guidance for healthier concoctions in 
pieces such as “Enjoy Holiday Treats, But 

Keep Cholesterol Low” in the Sept. 8, 1988, 
JN (alas, a signal of the end of worry-free 
eating?). More recently, there is “Vegan, 
Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Oh My” by Annabel 
Cohen (Sept. 9, 2014). One can also see influ-
ences from abroad entering the recipe lexicon. 
See “Holiday Challah With A Spanish Flavor” 
(Sept. 18, 1992). 
There are also great stories of how recipes 
and food preparation bring families together. 
An article in the Sept. 2, 2010, JN featured the 
Korelitz family — Sheryl, Seth and daugh-
ters, Hannah and Zoe — and their Rosh 
Hashanah preparations, which included 
their recipe for homemade gefilte fish. I 
also liked the article about the annual 
kreplach-making marathon conducted 
by the Marcus family, where they made 
enough kreplach for the year, first eating 
them for a Rosh Hashanah meal. 
I’ll conclude my food adventure with 
the person who is responsible for the idea 
of this column, Annabel Cohen. She first 
appears in the JN as a caterer as well as food 
lecturer around Detroit. In the 1990s, she 
began to write articles for the JN, and ever 
since, she has been — if you will pardon the 
pun — a JN “staple.
” Many of us have been 
made very happy and content during the holi-
days because of Annabel’s culinary skills. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation 
archives for free at www.djnfoundation.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Oh My” by Annabel 
Cohen (Sept. 9, 2014). One can also see influ-
ences from abroad entering the recipe lexicon. 
See “Holiday Challah With A Spanish Flavor” 

and food preparation bring families together. 

 featured the 

54 | SEPTEMBER 16 • 2021 
 
 
 
 

“Spills Family Secret,
” which was a family reci-

plete holiday menu with a main dish of 
chicken, sweet potato, and prune tzim-

are largely traditional and European. But, 
then, like society trends at-large, recipes 
began to change. For example, there was 

pieces such as “Enjoy Holiday Treats, But 

archives for free at www.djnfoundation.org.

as a caterer as well as food 

since, she has been — if you will pardon the 

made very happy and content during the holi-

