For many Jews, the meal is the holiday.

In The Jewish Holiday Table, the Jewish Food Society has gathered 135 recipes and stories that highlight the many ways Jewish communities around the world celebrate through food. From Rosh Hashanah and Passover to Hanukkah and Shabbat, this collection showcases the richness of Jewish cuisine and its deep connection to tradition and identity.

With contributions from 30 influential chefs and food professionals across the globe, the book offers a window into the diverse experiences of the Jewish diaspora. As Mitchell Davis eloquently puts it, “the meal is the holiday.” Whether it’s the Seder plate or a cheesecake for Shavuot, Jewish holiday foods tell the story of what it means to be Jewish and to cook Jewish food.

Naama Shefi, founder of the Jewish Food Society, introduces readers to these culinary voices, each sharing beloved holiday recipes along with stories of family, culture, and migration. For Hanukkah, pastry chef Nir Mesika recalls how her Egyptian and Moroccan grandmothers went head-to-head in a doughnut duel—sfenj versus zalabia. Ron Arazi, owner of New York Shuk, offers his grandfather’s fava bean and harissa soup, served during Sukkot under the sukkah in his Brooklyn backyard. Chef Beejhy Barhany provides her family’s Ethiopian dabo bread recipe, a Shabbat staple they cherished even while fleeing to Sudan as refugees.

The Jewish Holiday Table beautifully illustrates the shared Jewish journey—whether through exodus, immigration, or simply moving forward—and the traditions that endure across borders and generations.

Explore menus for a Persian Rosh Hashanah feast, a Ukrainian-Mexican Seder, or an Iraqi Purim spread. With each dish, this collection captures the soul of what it means to gather in a Jewish home, on a Jewish holiday. (more…)