MARCH 16 • 2023 | 21
chef throughout the weekend.
I was assigned to assist Susan
Barocas in three sessions —
Marvelous Mezze, Converso
Cooking and Sephardic Sweet
Tooth. Susan’s sessions were
ambitious and, across the
three, participants made six
savory dishes and two sweet
ones, including eggplants
stuffed with a mix of savory
and sweet flavors (mushrooms,
pears and apples), chickpeas,
salads, marochinos (almond
cookies), and biscochos.
While the flavors were
new for me, I very much
enjoyed them. Susan started
each session providing some
background on Sephardi
cuisine including how Jews
ultimately influenced the
broader Spanish food culture.
As an assistant, I prepared
the room, equipment and
ingredients before the class,
helped Susan and participants
during the class and cleaned
up afterward. Seeing the work
that went into preparing for
the class and comparing the
approaches different chefs
took in conceiving their classes
gave me a new appreciation for
all the consideration and effort
that made these happen.
While I expected to enjoy
the eating and learning
opportunities at the retreat,
I also came away thinking
differently. Food is more than
just food: Food is memory;
food is community; food
is connection. The retreat
reaffirmed for me the value of
connecting to my own food
traditions, whether they be the
old-country ways of my great-
great-grandparents or more
proximately, understanding
my parents’ cooking and the
stories behind the foods I ate
growing up.
I also came away feeling
emboldened to explore more
of the full spectrum of Jewish
food traditions beyond my
own to develop a fuller
understanding of our Jewish
history and experience. And
to enjoy some new tasty foods,
too.
Finally, I was reminded
of all the ways in which
food connects me to others,
whether it be over a Shabbat
dinner or making new friends
at this retreat. I’m so glad
I attended B’teavon, and I
encourage others to attend
next year.
Find out more at www.ramahdarom.
org/bteavon-jewish-culinary-
exploration.
Dr. Joelle Abramowitz is a past JN 36
Under 36 winner and past president
of Jewish Young Professionals of Ann
Arbor.
JOELLE ABRAMOWITZ
JOELLE ABRAMOWITZ
Joelle
Abramowitz
and Susan
Barocas
Eliana Leader, director of the Ramah Darom
Retreat Center, addresses the crowd.
Participants pickle green beans at The
Gefilteria’s pickling workshop.
DANA SHAPIRO