My involvement in Hazon’s recent food work has opened me up to a whole new world of environmental and food issues and have given me a lot of “food for thought,” pardon the pun, as to how I can better my eating habits and thinking about how the food I eat gets to my table. As an orthodox Jew involved in mycommunity, environmental issues haven’t been strongly highlighted during my upbringing. However, changes are taking place in orthodox thought and I am happy to see more awareness and attention given to them.

It’s still fascinating, though, how people are genuinely intrigued to learn about CSA’s, Fast Food Nation, and The Omnivore’s Dilemma. It has happened to me on more than one occasion where I will be at shabbos meal with new people in my community and when asked what I do professionally, I start explaining what Hazon does. When I begin to explain about the concept of CSA’s with a Jewish twist (since I was a proud member of the Washington Heights CSA this season!) and about the various insights that have stuck with me, I realize that not only are my listeners very interested in these new ideas, but I am also very passionate about what I am saying as well! Whether it is about supporting local agriculture and decreasing the amount of fuel wasted to ship produce across the world, or the quality of eggs from Polyface farm due to the natural internal eco-system the farmer created which Michael Pollan describes, or how corrupt the meatpacking industry is in this country as highlighted by Eric Schlosser… I think since Jews are attracted to food (hey, we like to eat!) hearing about these insights catches their attention.

This past summer, Rabbi Natan Slifkin published a new book, called Man and Beast. (Rabbi Slifkin is known as the “Zoo Rabbi” for his many works on Torah, science, and the animal kingdom, some of which are considered very controversial in the ultra-Orthodox community). I haven’t read the book, but I have looked through some of his previous works and they seemed interesting, and this book has been on my list since I heard about it.

While researching the book, this blog post from earlier in the summer caught my eye

Tomorrow night is the county fair. The Kosher-style County Fair. It’s the latest event from the folks at the 14th St. Y and Heeb magazine, who’s aim, I think, is to be simultaneously outrageous, and Jewish, and Jewishly outrageous, so that you couldn’t possibly ignore them. I am…skeptical.

Earlier this fall, my good friend Noam competed in the a similar event, the 14th St. Y’s “Mr. & Ms. Jew-S-A” competition, and won. His magen david-shaped tofu (baked, then fried) and his superior Jewish charm earned him the crown. And so, as reigning champion of Jewish kitch (where you are compelled to ask, ‘is this for REAL?’), Noam will be judging the Kugel Bake-Off at the Kosher-style County Fair on Wednesday, November 29. And he’ll also be co-starring in a production by me, Leah Koenig and him: “Eggplant’s Adventures on VDate.”

Hello friends! To inaugurate the launch of this here web log — and keeping in our tradition of food, fun and Jewish life — we are launching a Jewish food joke contest! Submit all your favorite jokes about food in Jewish life here and we’ll post them for your chuckle-worthy enjoyment. Submissions will be read and the winning joke with be selected at Latkes to Lattes: Hazon’s Conference on Jews, Food and Contemporary Life on December 14 -17 (click for more info).

Our premiering joke is courtesy of Daniel Taub: