“I always found it as comfort food for the soul,” teaching artist and educator Je’Jae Cleo Daniels says of this flavorful soup from Yemen. It’s served on Shabbat and as a cure-all in their family. 

After tasting this dish on a trip to Ghana, it became part of Jackie Jonas’s culinary repertoire. She serves it on Shabbat and prepared it for a synagogue fundraiser where guests discussed the intersection of race and religion.  

“Mallorcan Jews created this iconic look for their panades as a Shabbat food, where they could be popped into the oven before sundown on Friday until the next day,” explains Cristina Sussman-Marcos, whose family comes from the island community.

Nasi tumpeng, a golden cone of rice surrounded by vibrant side dishes, has long marked life’s celebrations in Indonesia. For Rosita Goldstein, it’s also a bridge between her Indonesian heritage and her Jewish family traditions in America.

Alana Satsuki Chandler grew up attending both synagogue and Japanese Saturday school. For Jewish holidays, their mother fuses together the two heritages in the kitchen. This doughnut recipe, which Alana recommends making for Hanukkah, follows in that tradition.