South African Jewry’s Communal Cookbooks

In the 20th century, dozens of South African Jews and Jewish communities compiled cookbooks, usually containing family recipes, and had them privately printed. Nomi Kaltmann describes the New Zealand-based scholar Gavin Beinart-Smollan’s research into these artifacts:

South Africa’s Jewish community reached its zenith during the 1970s. Stemming from the migration of Lithuanian Jews [or Litvaks], who brought with them a rich cultural heritage, the community once boasted around 100,000 members. However, as the landscape shifted, many Jews opted to leave the country. Today, there are roughly 50,000 Jews in the country.

“The recipes in the community cookbooks are all kosher. Even the recipes in The Happy Hostess, created by the sisterhood of the Pretoria Jewish Reform Congregation, mostly abided by the rules of kashrut—apart from a couple recipes for crayfish! In this way they were very different from a lot of postwar American Jewish cookbooks, which featured dozens of non-kosher dishes,” said Beinart-Smollen. “Some of the books also adapted iconic South African recipes like bobotie”—a South African dish traditionally made by non-Jews with spiced minced meat, often lamb or beef, mixed with various ingredients such as bread soaked in milk, chutney, and a blend of spices—“to make them suitable for the kosher kitchen.”

“What makes South African Jewish food distinctive is that it is different to my encounters with Jewish food in the United States and elsewhere,” said [the historian Adam] Mendelsohn. “It reflects the transplantation of certain Litvak recipes to South Africa. There are certain things which aren’t here. Polish Jewish cooking isn’t here. No knishes.”

Read more at Tablet

More about: Jewish food, South African Jewry

Kuwait Should Be the Next Country to Make Peace with Israel

Feb. 13 2025

Like his predecessor, Donald Trump seeks to expand the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia. But there are other Arab nations that might consider taking such a step. Ahmad Charai points to Kuwait—home to the Middle East’s largest U.S. army base and desperately in need of economic reform—as a good candidate. Kuwaitis haven’t forgiven Palestinians for supporting Saddam Hussein during his 1990 invasion, but their country has been more rhetorically hostile to Israel than its Gulf neighbors:

The Abraham Accords have reshaped Middle Eastern diplomacy. . . . Kuwait, however, remains hesitant due to internal political resistance. While full normalization may not be immediately feasible, the United States should encourage Kuwait to take gradual steps toward engagement, emphasizing how participation in regional cooperation does not equate to abandoning its historical positions.

Kuwait could use its influence to push for peace in the Middle East through diplomatic channels opened by engagement rather than isolation. The economic benefits of joining the broader framework of the Abraham Accords are overwhelming. Israel’s leadership in technology, agriculture, and water management presents valuable opportunities for Kuwait to enhance its infrastructure. Trade and investment flows would diversify the economy, providing new markets and business partnerships.

Kuwaiti youth, who are increasingly looking for opportunities beyond the public sector, could benefit from collaboration with advanced industries, fostering job creation and entrepreneurial growth. The UAE and Bahrain have already demonstrated how normalization with Israel can drive economic expansion while maintaining their respective geopolitical identities.

Read more at Jerusalem Strategic Tribune

More about: Abraham Accords, Kuwait