Limmud Oz 2019

Last year, Roman Jews were presented with an ultimatum: give up your artichokes or lose your kashrut status. The problem? Their much-loved carciofi all giudia (distinctively Jewish deep-fried artichoke) was considered impossible to check for bugs. What ensued was a battleground for the Roman Jewish soul. This session will explore the deep Jewish history of the artichoke, the showdown between rabbis, the wider Italian reaction, and a consideration of why food plays such essential part in Jewish identity.