Called “the best food film of 2016” and voted “Ford Best of the Fest” by this year’s New Jersey Jewish Film Festival attendees, In Search of Israeli Cuisine is a portrait of the Israeli people told through food. The feature-length documentary puts a face on the culture of Israel, profiling chefs, home cooks, vintners and cheese makers drawn from the more than 100 cultures that make up Israel today—Jewish, Arab, Muslim, Christian, Druze. A rich and human story of the people emerges.
As a special summer treat, the festival is re-screening In Search of Israeli Cuisine at the JCC Metrowest in West Orange on July 24 at 7 p.m. The public is invited to come early and bring their families for an Israeli feast to be served before the film begins. Catered by Jerusalem Restaurant in Elizabeth, the dinner will feature signature Israeli dishes. In keeping with Jewish dietary laws, the food will be kosher.
The film by Roger Sherman was inspired by his first visit to Israel in 2010 when he learned about the Tel Aviv vibrant food scene, Jerusalem restaurants that have shed their stuffiness, 350 critically acclaimed boutique wineries and a thriving
cheese industry—along with the diverse food traditions of the equally diverse Israeli people. As the film’s guide, Sherman chose James Beard Award–winning chef and co-owner of the acclaimed Philadelphia restaurant Zahav, Michael Solomonov.
The filmmakers follow Solomonov into hot restaurants and home kitchens, wineries and cheese makers. He eats street food and visits markets. All over the country, he discusses traditions, ingredients, the origins and the future of Israeli Cuisine.
What makes In Search of Israeli Cuisine so intriguing is that most people don’t have a clue what is going on in the culinary scene of Israel—or that Israel even has a culinary scene. “People laughed when I told them Israel has one of the most dynamic food cultures in the world,” Sherman said. He has tapped into the perfect subject with enormous audience potential.
The cost for the dinner and film will be $10 for individuals and $25 for a family of 4. Sponsors of the 2016 New Jersey Jewish Film Festival will be admitted free. To purchase tickets visit www.boxofficetickets. com/jccmetrowest. For more information call 973.530.3473 or email film@jccmetrowest.org.
