Shabbat Shalom: Food for Thought 11.17.17

Dear Friends:

Food for thought–or perhaps more fitting, food AND thought.

Few things bring people together quite like food. While most of us will be gathering around the Thanksgiving table next week, the Board of Rabbis is giving us the opportunity to gather around the communal table first.

Tomorrow evening, the Board of Rabbis, along with a variety of co-sponsors including Hope & Main, Farm Fresh RI, Rhode Island Community Food Bank and the Jewish Alliance, among others, will be hosting Saturday Night Flavor. The evening will highlight the many ways food is central to our lives, the significant role it plays in our culture, and the impact it has on Rhode Island’s growing economy.

Hosted at the Jewish Alliance’s Dwares JCC, the marketplace (shuk) will run from 6:30 to 10:45pm with workshops kicking off at 7:15pm–broken into two sessions running from 8:00 – 9:00pm and 9:15 – 10:15pm.

Moderated by area rabbis and featuring local experts, this food-inspired evening will be rich with relevant topics including:

• Rituals of Dinner: Food as hospitality, community builder, culture-shaper, and conveyer of hospitality; blessings for food.
• Just Food: Food access, food as a political weapon and food banks.
• Growing Rhode Island’s Economy: How local farmers and local food businesses can help revive the state’s economy.
• Food Justice: Eco-kashrut and certification, agribusiness, treatment of workers and environmental concerns.
• Connecting to the Source: Local food movements and resources, spiritual dimensions of agriculture, food preparation and eating.
• Eating Vegetarian: Is this God’s Ideal?

The shuk will include a variety of local food producers and farmers. There will also be a cash bar with local Rhode Island beer and whiskey, and a coffee bar. Vendors in the shuk will include Halvah Heaven, Just Like Nana’s Rugelach, Seconds First, Savory Fare, Kosher Catch, Beautiful Day – Providence Granola Project, and Harvest Kitchen. In addition to the vendors, over a dozen local organizations will have tables with information about their food-related work. Participants include the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, The Compost Plant, Southside Community Land Trust and Mazon.

You can learn more about the event including the full list of presenters and vendors here. The event is free of charge thanks to the generous support of the Rabbi William G. Braude Fund at the Jewish Federation Foundation.

Wishing you all a peaceful Shabbat and very happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

Adam Greenman

President & CEO