Blog Post
Blog Post

Kosher Food Production in the United States and the Manischewitz Empire

By Ella Jordan-Smith
Reference Services Librarian, Center for Jewish History

Kosher Food Production in the United States and the Manischewitz Empire

The Jewish population in the U.S. currently makes up just under 2.5% of the total population, with an even lower percentage keeping kosher. Yet, over 40% of the packaged food produced in the U.S. is labeled as kosher, and American food production…

Center for Jewish History
Center for Jewish History
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Blog Post

Babka & Beignets: Jewish Foodways of the South

By Cassia Kisshauer
Reference Services Librarian, Center for Jewish History

Babka & Beignets: Jewish Foodways of the South

Food is a way to maintain cherished traditions and connect to ancestors, particularly for marginalized groups. It can also be a method to adapt to a new environment. The American South has a rich Jewish history dating back to the 17th century. Port cities like…

Center for Jewish History
Center for Jewish History
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Blog Post

Sermons of Thanksgiving

By Lauren Gilbert 
Senior Manager for Public Services, Center for Jewish History 

Sermons of Thanksgiving

It is widely believed that the Pilgrims modeled their Thanksgiving feast after the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. In its modern incarnation as a secular festival focusing on gratitude, an appropriately Jewish concept, Thanksgiving has been observed by American Jews from its earliest days.

Center for Jewish History
Center for Jewish History
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Blog Post

The Jews of Harlem

By Ella Jordan-Smith

Reference Services Librarian, Center for Jewish History

The Jews of Harlem

When thinking about the historically Jewish neighborhoods in New York, the Lower East Side or Williamsburg are likely the first to come to mind. What many do not know is that Harlem was at one point the home of the second largest Jewish…

Center for Jewish History
Center for Jewish History
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