Monthly Update • Thursday, June 24
Southern Jewish Restaurants
Tuesday, June 29, at 11am Central
Join the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) on Tuesday, June 29, for a celebration of southern Jewish restaurants. From New Orleans to Houston and Florida to Oklahoma, there are so many places in the South to eat delicious Jewish food. In this episode, we're visiting these iconic businesses to learn about their histories, how they've changed over time, the central role they play in their communities, and, of course, the best things on their menus. Jewish restaurant owners across our region are celebrating their heritage while finding ways to innovate and celebrate the South's unique food traditions. You really don't want to miss this delicious episode.

Tune in for conversations with restaurant owners and chefs at southern Jewish restaurants, including Kosher Cajun, Rimon at Tulane Hillel, Kenny & Ziggy's, and Jackson's own Olde Tyme Deli. We'll also hear from ISJL staff and community members from across our thirteen-state region.

Ziggy Gruber with a Fancy Schmancy Burger. Image courtesy of Kenny & Ziggy's.
Go Deeper
Cook
If you're anything like us, this episode is going to make you crave Jewish food. Tablet magazine's "100 Most Jewish Foods" project (and cookbook!) is a great place to start.

Our favorite southern Jewish cookbook is Marcie Cohen Ferris's Matzoh Ball Gumbo.

Culinary historian and author Michael Twitty is currently at work on his new book Kosher Soul, which combines African American and Jewish food traditions. He's teaching an online Jewish food course that begins the day after our episode airs!

Listen
ISJL CEO Michele Schipper, whose parents ran the Olde Tyme Deli in Jackson, Mississippi, and ISJL Director of Heritage and Interpretation Nora Katz were both recently featured in the Southern Foodways Alliance's podcast Gravy. Listen to their reminiscences about the world of Jewish delis in "The Deli Diaspora."
Watch
If you love delis, you'll love the documentary Deli Man—featuring Ziggy Gruber of Houston's own Kenny & Ziggy's Delicatessen Restaurant.

Learn more about Kosher Cajun, a kosher deli and grocery store in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a recent episode of America Undiscovered.

Early in the pandemic, ISJL staff members participated in a southern and Jewish cooking competition of our own creation. Enjoy the chaos and joy of "Minced," judged by food historian Marcie Cohen Ferris.
Last Month's Episode
Southern Jewish Film Festivals
Last month's episode was all about Jewish visibility in the world of American film. The episode featured conversations with the leaders of the Mobile Jewish Film Festival, the Nashville Jewish Film Festival, and the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, one of the largest Jewish film festivals in the world. We also heard from Aviva Kempner, the award-winning documentary filmmaker behind The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg, Rosenwald, and many other films about under-known American Jews.

If you missed the episode, it's available on demand on our website.
Are you enjoying the ISJL Virtual Vacation? We want to hear from you as we plan for the future of the program. Reply to this email with questions, comments, feedback, and ideas for episodes you'd like to see in the future!
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Welcome to the ISJL Virtual Vacation!
We're excited to introduce you to the South’s vibrant cultural heritage, the big themes of southern Jewish history, the folks working to advance social justice in the South, and our region’s natural beauty, music, and food. There’s so much to explore—join us for a vacation from the comfort of your home!

Monthly episodes—live on the ISJL Facebook page and available on demand on the ISJL Virtual Vacation website—feature museums, historic sites, scholars, chefs, performers, and more from across the region.

Sign up now to join the journey. We're excited to travel with you, wherever you are.
Start your southern Jewish journey with ISJL resources designed to provide engaging windows into the history of the Jewish South.
The ISJL's Virtual Road Trip Through the Jewish South is an interactive collection of online resources accessible from anywhere. Check it out and get inspired before you begin the Virtual Vacation!
We'll travel again soon! When it's safe to hit the road, the ISJL can build a variety of trips through different southern states, emphasizing southern Jewish life, Civil Rights history, and southern culture. It's never too early to start planning your group's next adventure!