Assimilation in the kitchen
The earliest Jews in Atlanta, specifically those of German decent became the aristocratic citizens of the Jewish community quite early on as they quickly became affluent and integrated themselves into society. When Eastern European Jews began to immigrate to Atlanta, the German Jews aimed to keep themselves apart from them to retain their high status, and one of the ways they did this was through changing the foods they ate. If German Jewish families had African American cooks, they asked them to prepare Southern foods rather than Jewish foods, while Eastern European Jews continued to cook the foods of their ancestors. These differences resulted in not only social barriers, but also the creation of small, separate grocery stores and cafes that catered to both foods of the Jewish culture and African American culture (Ferris Cohen, 142-144).
Eventually, the German Jews attempted to help assimilate the the European Jews, but they did not want to abandon their Jewish foods or change their religious ways. The Eastern European immigrants taught their African American cooks how to cook under the Kosher laws and continued to eat beef brisket rather than barbecue. In 1895, the city's first Jewish women's club was formed with a goal of "sponsoring charity work." The elite club also offered southern cooking courses to Jewish women arriving from Eastern Europe. Mrs. Max Gholstein, a club member explained that "the cooking class helped make foreigners more like the 'native born' and that children preferred their mothers to 'do the same as the neighbor'" (Ferris Cohen, 146). Going into the early 20th century, the European Jews slowly adjusted their dinner tables to match those of their Southern neighbors.
Eventually, the German Jews attempted to help assimilate the the European Jews, but they did not want to abandon their Jewish foods or change their religious ways. The Eastern European immigrants taught their African American cooks how to cook under the Kosher laws and continued to eat beef brisket rather than barbecue. In 1895, the city's first Jewish women's club was formed with a goal of "sponsoring charity work." The elite club also offered southern cooking courses to Jewish women arriving from Eastern Europe. Mrs. Max Gholstein, a club member explained that "the cooking class helped make foreigners more like the 'native born' and that children preferred their mothers to 'do the same as the neighbor'" (Ferris Cohen, 146). Going into the early 20th century, the European Jews slowly adjusted their dinner tables to match those of their Southern neighbors.
"During a home visit in the 1930's, a social worker commented on the eating habits of a Turkish Jewish couple. After viewing a large pot of stewed vegetables and braised meat on the stove, she suggested that preparing vegetables and meat American-style, by cooking and serving meat and vegetables separately, was healthier" (Ferris Cohen, 172).
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Recipes
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Today, there are many places to buy Kosher foods in Atlanta to meet the demand of the Orthodox families who moved to the city. Jews in the South certainly still eat the classic Jewish foods such as matzo ball soup, challah, and many many more, but they have also adapted traditional "southern foods" and made them their own. Photos of such dishes are displayed in the slide show to the left. Links to the recipes below:
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Parenthetical citations refer to The "Too Jewish in Atlanta" chapter in Marcie Cohen Ferris' Matzo Ball Gumbo book.
Header image courtesy of Serious Eats
Header image courtesy of Serious Eats