Social Justice Seder is presented each year to strengthen, deepen and broaden our partnership and relationship with people and organizations devoted to the work of social justice, promoting the values of justice, kindness, compassion, inclusion, and respect for the way diversity makes us stronger together.
The mission of the JCRC of the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville is to advocate for Jewish interests and values, dedicate ourselves to the safety and security of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, and foster constructive and productive relationships within the Jewish community and among people of al faiths and cultures in order to promote a just, democratic and pluralistic American society.
JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Steven Remer, JCRC Chair
Leslie Kirby, President, Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville
Deborah Oleshansky, JCRC Director
Arlene Averbuch
Harold Benus
Teena Cohen
Erin Coleman
Michael Dobrin
Celia Goldstein
Mark Goldstein
Hayley Levy Kupin
Sheri Rosenberg
Mary Shelton
Ricki Sokol
Anna Stern
Cara Suvall
Irwin Venick
March 30, 2023 • 9
Gordon Jewish Community Center
KOSHERSOUL
featuring
Author Michael W. Twitty
Koshersoul: A Celebration of Culinary Traditions
Special Guest: Michael W. Twitty
Clergy and Song Leaders:
Cantor Tracy Fishbein
Cantor Josh Goldberg
Rabbi Shana Mackler
Rabbi Michael Shulman
Dov Rosenblatt, Shaliach Tzibur
Julia Motis
Omer Shabat
Eitan Snyder
Event Co-Chairs: Rachel and Marcus Whitney
Harold Benus
Erin Coleman
Lilyfish Gomberg & LeBron Hill
Marsha Jaffa
Rebecca & Eric Kaduru
Pam Kelner
Shaul Kelner
Jacob Kleinrock & Marci Levy
Table Hosts
Hayley & Jacob Kupin
Debbi Linn
Bobbi Lipschultz
Bryna Oleshansky
Rae Oleshansky
Sheri Rosenberg & John Jivens
Freya Sachs
Judy Saks
Quin & Josh Segall
Mary Shelton
Jim Shulman
Jason Shuster
Craig Smith
Ricki & Barry Sokol
Patty & Jerry Stelmaszac
Anna Stern
Irwin Venick
Christie & Titus Wiemers
In Memory of Avi Poster
“If there were ever a Jew, whose inner core and Jewish spirit charged him to help lift up the broader community and broader world, it was a Avi Poster.”
Rabbi Saul Strosberg, Congregation Sherith Israel
“Avi introduced me to the concept of Tikkun Olam, which has strengthened my own belief in doing more in repairing this broken world …. In his honor, I will carry the Tikkun Olam torch he passed on to me.”
Abdelghani Barre, Muslim Community Member
“What I loved about Avi is that he always, always believed that if one gave those doubters (about a cause) the right information, the right opportunities to see for themselves the impact they could have, they would share his passion to help.”
Debby Gould, League of Women Voters
“He regularly sent encouraging emails to me to keep writing editorials demanding accountability from elected officials.”
David Plazas, Opinion and Engagement Director, USA Today Network Newsrooms, Tennessee
“Avi rolled up his shirtsleeves and went to work: raising money, introducing us to people, drawing attention to our work, keeping us on task, encouraging us and inspiring us to do more because he would not be able to rest until those who wanted a place of their own, especially those with special needs, got the home and respect they deserve. Avi Poster was our hero and our friend.”
Carole Naifeh, Our Place Co-Founder and Executive Director
When Avi and his beloved wife, Joie, relocated to Nashville from Chicago, he brought the concept of a Social Justice Seder with him, and as he became involved in the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville he encourage our local Jewish Community Relations Committee to organize a similar program here.
August 11, `1944-January 26, 2023
Over the past many years, the Social Justice Seder has explored many topics of concern including education, poverty, bigotry, multifaith and multicultural relationships. The Social Justice Seder was always intended to be a bridge between the Jewish and general communities in greater Nashville. Avi’s personal email list was vast and inclusive, including local elected officials, civic leaders, business leaders, nonprofit leaders, community activists, and clergy members. Over the years we relied on “Avi’s List” to reach the widest contacts throughout the community.
Avi Poster and friends at JCRC Seder 2019
In honor and loving memory of Avi, we have created the Avi Poster Social Justice Seder Fund to endow this important community event. Please use the QR code to donate.
In 2020 the JCRC Seder won the Nashville Scene Nations United Phila Award. This award celebrates a person, group, or organization using food to comfort, welcome, and empower those who seek an inclusive and equitable community table.
Avi Poster and Tom Negri at 2019 JCRC Seder
The menu for the Koshersoul Seder meal tonight is inspired by Mr. Twitty and his recipes. They reflect a deep appreciation for history, culture and community connections. This culinary connection will inspire ongoing and future connections for all of us.
MICHAEL W. TWITTY’S SEDER MENU
West African Inspired Brisket
Koshersoul Collards
Ginger Cumin and Garlic Roasted Vegetables
Jollof Rice
Mrs. Cardoso’s Famous Seven-Fruit Haroset from Suriname
Order of the Seder
Kadesh…………...............Recite the Kiddish
Urchatz…….…................Wash hands before eating karpas
Karpas…….……................Eat a vegetable dipped in salt water
Yachatz……..…...............Break the middle matzoh and hide the larger half for the Afikomen
Maggid…………...............Tell the story of Passover
Rachtzah..….….............Wash hands for the meal
Motzi…….….…...................Say the HaMotzi (blessing over bread).
Matzah….…..…................Eat matzah
Marror…….…....................Eat bitter herbs
Korech……..…..................Eat matzah and bitter herbs together
Shulchan Orech…...Eat the Festive Meal
Tzafun..….……..................Eat the Afikomen
Barech….........................Say Grace After Meals
Hallel…............................Sing Hallel (songs of praise)
Nirtzah…..........................Conclude the Seder
The African American Seder Plate for Passover
- MICHAEL W. TWITTY AUTHOR OF “THE COOKING GENE”
Wha dis ya ednin ain de same as de oda res fa?
All de oda ednin, we da nyam pun ting odda din disya ashcake and dis ednin ain but ashcake.
Pun de oda ednin, we nyam pun a kinda weggitbull. Disya ednin ain but dem bitta greens.
Disya ain likka de oda res ob night win e dip de food one time. Disya dip um alltwo. De oda night we da sit down, dis ednin e lay down.
- TRANSLATED BY QUEEN QUET: CHIEFTESS OF THE GULLAH/GEECHEE NATION
Preparing for the Seder
B’khol dor v’dor chayav adam lirot et atzmo k’ilu hu yatza miMitzrayim.
FROM
GENERATION TO GENERATION,
EACH OF US IS OBLIGATED TO SEE OURSELVES AS THOUGH WE, PERSONALLY, HAD JUST BEEN FREED FROM SLAVERY.
The word “Seder” literally means “order.” Seder customs include drinking four cups of wine and eating matzah as well as other symbolic foods placed on the Passover Seder plate.
On the Seder plate are:
• Charoset, a combination of dates or apples, nuts and wine, representing the mortar the slaves used.
• Maror or bitter herb, showing the bitterness of slavery.
• A shank bone honoring the ancient sacrificing of a lamb.
• Karpas, or greens, representing new life and renewal.
• Salt water, reminding us of the tears of the slaves.
• An egg, representing springtime and renewal.
At its most fundamental level, the Passover seder is meant to remind us that we know firsthand the suffering and degradation faced by those who are poor. We know the sharp pain of hunger, the slavery that is poverty and persecution. And we also know that this memory, this shared experience, compels us to act.
THIS IS THE BREAD OF AFFLICTION WHICH OUR ANCESTORS ATE IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. ALL WHO ARE HUNGRY, LET THEM ENTER AND EAT. ALL WHO ARE IN NEED, LET THEM COME CELEBRATE PASSOVER WITH US. NOW WE ARE HERE. NEXT YEAR IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL. NOW WE ARE ENSLAVED. NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE FREE!
Roasted Egg
Maror
Four Cups of Wine
Parsley & Green Vegetables
Salt Water
Lamb Shank Bone
Matzah
(Unleavened Bread)
Charoset
After lighting the candles, recite:
LIGHTING <THE FESTIVAL CANDLES
Before the start of every Sabbath or Jewish holiday, it is traditional to light two candles in honor of the holiness of the day.
Blessed be Adonai, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with commandments, and who commands us to kindle the Festival lights. •
Shehecheyanu
It is customary in Jewish tradition to offer the Shehecheyanu, a prayer that is mentioned in the Talmud and which has been part of Jewish blessings for centuries. The prayer thanks G-d for enabling us to experience a new or special occasion. We say it when marking the beginning of a holiday, hearing the sound of the Shofar, lighting Hanukkah candles or eating the new fruit of the season. Tonight is the first time we have gathered together in this room to build and sustain all that connects us.
Tonight is a perfect time to say the Shehecheyanu.
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the universe, who has kept us in life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.
Sanctifying the Day
Kadesh
On Passover we are commanded to drink four cups of wine. Tonight we drink four cups in order to symbolize our joy in being together and to remember G-d’s four promises.
I SHALL TAKE YOU OUT from under the burdens of Egypt
I SHALL RESCUE YOU from their service
I SHALL REDEEM YOU with an outstretched arm and with great judgments I SHALL TAKE YOU TO ME for a people and I shall be a G-d to you.
THE>
FIRST CUP
Holding the cup of wine in one’s right hand, recite:
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Handwashing
Urchatz
Now all who wish may wash their hands as a reminder that our actions are holy.
Exodus (6:6-7)
4THE CUPS>>>
A core belief of Judaism is Tikun Olam: Together with G-d,
we must Repair the World.
Rabbi Tarfon taught:
"It is not your responsibility to finish
The Four Cups
Every Seder is a journey, and the stages of the journey are marked by the Four Cups.
Traditionally, the Four Cups represent G-d’s four promises of redemption: “I will take you out….free you….redeem you….and take you as my people.” (Exodus 6:6-7)
They are also said to represent the process of becoming free, from the first stage, when we were freed from harsh labor but were still slaves, to the second and third stages, when we were freed and then led to safety, and finally to the fourth, when— after traveling through the desert—we were taken into Covenant at Sinai.
<DIPPING&BREAKING>
Parsley in Water the Middle Matzah
Parsley, or other vegetable, is dipped in salt water. Tonight, we are using sweet potato. The parsley symbolizes both the humble origins of the Jewish people as well as the rebirth of Spring. In Eastern Europe, where green vegetables were not common, a potato was used instead. The salt water symbolizes the tears shed during our slavery in Egypt.
Before eating the vegetable, recite the following blessing:
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.
The middle matzah on the plate is broken in half. One half is put back in the stack; the other half is placed in a napkin or special holder and put aside.
It is traditional in many homes to hide the afikomen now for children to find. Because it must be eaten at the end of the meal, they are often given a prize for finding it.
This is one of many traditional ways of giving children a part in the Seder.
THE4 QUESTIONS>>> Mah Nishatana
Recited by the youngest person at the table.
On all other nights we eat either bread or matzah; why on this night do we eat only matzah?
On all other nights we do not dip our food even once; why on this night do we dip twice?
On all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs; why on this night do we eat bitter herbs?
On all other nights we dine either sitting upright or reclining; why on this night do we all recline?
We eat only matzah to remind us that our ancestors left Egypt suddenly, so there was no time to make bread. Matzah was the daily bread of slaves because it was cheap and easy to make.
We eat only maror, or bitter herbs, to remind us of the bitterness of slavery that our ancestors endured while in Egypt.
We dip green vegetables in salt water to symbolize the replacing of our tears with gratitude. We make a Hillel sandwich with maror and charoset in between two pieces of matzah; this symbolizes the sweetening of our burden of bitterness and suffering.
<<<ANSWERS
We recline at the Seder table as a symbol of freedom. In ancient times, a person who reclined at a meal was a free person, while slaves and servants stood.
While the Jews endured harsh slavery in Egypt, G-d chose Moses to lead them out to freedom.
Moses encountered G-d at the burning bush and then returned to Egypt to lead the people out of Egypt. G-d demanded that Pharaoh let the Jewish people go.
THAT PART OF OUR PASSOVER STORY IS BEST DESCRIBED IN THE SLAVE SPIRITUAL “GO DOWN MOSES”
Go Down Moses> Go Down Moses> Moses> Moses>
When Israel was in Egypt’s land, Let my people go; Oppressed so hard they could not stand, Let my people go.
Chorus
Go down, Moses, Way down in Egypt’s land; Tell old Pharaoh
To let my people go!
“Thus saith the Lord,” bold Moses said, Let my people go; “If not, I’ll smite your first-born dead,” Let my people go.
Chorus
10THE PLAGUES>>>
Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused to let the Jewish people go. That is why G-d sent the ten plagues.
It is our tradition to remove ten drops of wine from our cups as we recite the ten plagues, as a remembrance of the suffering of the Egyptians, who are also G-d’s children.
Remove a drop of wine for each plague as you recite its name.
Slaying of the first born • Ma-kat Bechorot
Following the slaying of the first born, Pharaoh allowed the Jewish people to leave. The Jews left Egypt in such haste that their dough did not rise, so they ate matzah. When Pharaoh changed his mind and chased after the Jews, G-d miraculously caused the Red Sea to split, allowing the Jews to cross safely. When the Egyptians entered the sea, it returned to its natural state and the mighty Egyptian army drowned. Our traditional commentaries teach that when the angels saw this, they started to sing praises, but G-d silenced them, saying, “How dare you sing for joy when my children are dying in the sea!” (Talmud Tractate Megillah 10b).
THE> SECOND CUP
The second cup of wine is poured, and a blessing is recited:
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Your laws and commanded us to eat matzah.
MICHAEL W. TWITTY
is a culinary historian, living history interpreter, and Judaics teacher.
He is the creator of Afroculinaria, the first blog devoted to African American historic foodways ad they legacy. In 2018, his book The Cooking Gene won both the James Beard Foundation Book of the Year Award and Best Writing Award. He is the first Revolutionary in Residence at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, a TED fellow and was names to the Forwards list of influential America Jews in 2020 and a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2021. He lives in Fredericksburg, VA.
In his new book, Koshersoul, Twitty considers the marriage of two of the most distinct culinary cultures in the work today: the foods and tradition of the African Atlantic and the global Jewish Diaspora. He was awarded the JBC book of the Year for this work.
Koshersoul is not a cookbook. The preface of the book, why is this book different from all other books, is a reference to the four questions recited at a Passover Seder, and Mr. Twitty has said Passover is his favorite holiday. The Koshersoul Social Justice Seder this year is designed to show the connections between African American and Jewish food traditions, incorporating the themes of freedom, family, diaspora, and the pursuit of justice. In his book, The Cooking Gene, Mr. Twitty writes: ”Both are cuisines where homelandand exile interplay. Ideas and emotions and ingredients – satire, irony, longing, resistance – and you have to eat the food to extract the meaning. The food of both diasporas depends on memory. One memory is the sweep of the people’s journey, and the other is the little bits and the pieces of individual lives shaped by ancient paths and patterns. The food is an archive, a keep of secrets.”
DAYENU>>>
Dayenu is a thousand-year-old song. In each line, we remember a major event in our people’s history and then say, “Dayenu,” meaning “It would have been enough for us.” When we sing Dayenu, we remember moments in time when G-d gave us life-changing gifts, and we remember moments in time when G-d saved our lives. Each was the highest point in our experience; each was enough. But there was always more.
If You had only given to us health Dayenu
If You had only split the sea for us Dayenu
If You had only led us through on dry land Dayenu
If You had only provided for our needs in the wilderness for 40 years Dayenu
If You had only given us Shabbat Dayenu
If You had only led us to Mount Sinai Dayenu
If You had only given us the Torah Dayenu
If You had only brought us into the Land of Israel Dayenu
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Your laws and commanded us to eat bitter herbs.
THE MAROR IS EATEN.
Hillel Sandwich
Korech
Each person makes a sandwich using two pieces of matzah with maror and charoset.
This is done in commemoration of an enactment made by the great sage Hillel, who lived in the time of the Second Temple. Dinner
Shulchan Orech
GRACE AFTER> THE MEAL
Barech
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the Universe, who sustains the entire world with goodness, grace, loving kindness, and compassion. You give bread to all, for Your grace is everlasting. And in Your great goodness we have never lacked anything and we will never be deprived of food for the sake of Your great name.
The Afikomen
Tzafun
The afikomen put aside earlier is eaten as dessert.
For You are G-d who provides for all and does good for all and prepares food for all Your creatures that You created. Blessed are You, Lord, who provides for all. G-d and G-d of our ancestors, may You remember us on Passover to bless us with kindness and mercy for a life of peace and happiness.
We pray that the One who establishes peace in the heavens grants peace for us, for all Israel, and all of humanity, and let us say, Amen.
Woke Up This Morning
Woke up this morning with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this morning with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this morning with my mind Stayed on freedom
HALLELU, HALLELU, HALLELUJAH.
I’m walking and talking with my mind stayed on freedom
I’m walking and talking with my mind stayed on freedom
I’m walking and talking with my mind stayed on freedom
HALLELU, HALLELU, HALLELUJAH.
Ain’t nothing wrong with my mind Stayed on freedom
Oh, there ain’t nothing wrong with keeping my mind Stayed on freedom
There ain’t nothing wrong with keeping your mind Stayed on freedom
HALLELU, HALLELU, HALLELUJAH.
I’m
singing and praying with my mind Stayed on freedom Yeah,
I’m singing
and praying
with
my mind Stayed on freedom
THE> THIRD CUP
The third cup of wine is filled and a blessing is recited:
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
We drink the third cup of wine.
Welcoming Elijah
The fourth and final cup of wine is now filled. An additional cup is then filled and set aside for the prophet Elijah (Eliyahu). Tradition says that Elijah, whose return will precede the arrival of the Messiah, makes an appearance at every Seder. We open a door to welcome Elijah and we sing...
ELIYAHU HANAVI>>>
Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah the Giladite, may he come speedily to us in our days along with the Messiah the son of David.
THE> FOURTH CUP
ELIYAHU HANAVI
ELIYAHU HATISHBI
ELIYAHU HAGILADI
BIMHERAH YAVO ELENU
IM MOSHIACH YABEN DAVID
BIMHERAH YAVO ELENU
IM MOSHIACH YABEN DAVID
BIMHERAH YAVO ELENU
YAVO ELENU
IM MOSHIACH YABEN DAVID
IM MOSHIACH YABEN DAVID
The fourth cup of wine is filled and a blessing is recited:
Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
We drink the fourth cup of wine.
Closing Section
Nirtzah
THE LAST WORDS OF THE SEDER ECHO
OUR HOPE AND THAT OF OUR ANCESTORS THAT G-D’S PROMISE FOR A WORLD OF PEACE BECOMES A REALITY. Lishana Ha-baah Bi-yerushalyim!
AROUND
BY KEB’ MO’ & TAJ MAHAL
What’s all the fuss about?
Why can’t people just get along? Maybe we oughta talk about All the good we got goin’ on Everybody knows there’s a better way Everyone hopin’ and prayin’ that one day
>CHORUS
Can’t you just feel it everywhere
It’s a powerful spirit up in the air
Won’t be no reason to sing the blues And there won’t be nothin’ on the radio
But some good news
>CHORUS
You know we’re gonna bring about A positive change I can’t help thinkin’ about How it keeps on gettin’ so strange How do we get away From the misery and pain And still feel the sunshine In the pourin’ rain?
CHORUS
There’ll be love all around the world (All around the world)
There’ll be peace and understanding (All around the world)
There’ll be joy all around the world (All around the world)
There’ll be happy children singin’ (All around the world)
END CHORUS
Yeah, there gonna be some love
Yeah, love (All around the world)
There’ll be peace and understanding (All around the world)
There’ll be joy all around the world (All around the world)
There’ll be happy children singin’ (All around the world)
There’ll be peace and understanding (There’ll be dancin’)
There’ll be joy all around the world
Happy children singin’ Around the world
REFERENCE PAGES
WEST>>> AFRICANINSPIRED BRISKET
The number one question is: What makes this a “West African–inspired” brisket? The question is imbued with an air of “What am I missing here?” Although West African food is not very well known in the West, its influence and impact are already here thanks to the foodways of the African Atlantic. West and Central African-born tastes are so well sown into the cuisines of the Americas that the flavor elements that are key to the region may get lost in the perception of indigeneity.
However, the forwardness of hot chilis; the trinity of (sweet or hot) peppers, onions, and tomatoes; the presence of garlic, ginger, and turmeric; and the overall tendency toward piquant sauces and gravies that help it pair well with rice or fufu (tubers or plantains pounded into a smooth loaf) help explain why this very Jewish brisket speaks Pidgin rather than Yiddish.
Serves 6–8
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon is ground turmeric
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
5 pounds brisket
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 onions, peeled and diced
3 bell peppers—green, red, and yellow —seeded and diced
1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes (kosher for Passover!)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock (kosher for Passover!!!)
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 large red onions, cut into rings
2 or 3 cups of white-fleshed sweet potatoes (optional)
Heat oven to 325°F.
Combine the ginger, turmeric, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, chili powder, and cayenne pepper with salt.
Save about 2 teaspoons for the vegetables. Sprinkle the brisket with this mixture and rub in the minced garlic.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot.
Sear the beef all around.
Remove from the Dutch oven and set aside. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the oil in the pan and season with the reserved 2 teaspoons of seasoning.
Sauté until the onion is translucent, add the tomatoes, mix, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and stock, horseradish, bay leaves, and thyme.
Pour out of the pan into a bowl.
Place the red onion rings in the bottom of the pan and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
Place the brisket on top of them.
Pour the vegetables and stock over the brisket. Two to three cups of cubed sweet potatoes, especially white-fleshed or yellow varieties, is a nice addition.
Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 3½ hours until the brisket is fork-tender. Remove the brisket, cool, and refrigerate. Once the brisket is chilled, remove excess fat and then slice—always against the grain. Place the sliced brisket in a pan or pot, cover with sauce. Heat for half an hour or more in the oven at 300°F or until heated through.
MRS.>>> CARDOZO’S FAMOUS 7-FRUIT HAROSET
>SURINAME
Serves 6–8
8 ounces chopped raisins
8 ounces chopped dried apples
8 dried chopped prunes or dried cranberries (check for Pesach certification)
8 ounces chopped dried apricots or dried mango
8 ounces chopped dried pears
1 tablespoon sweet kosher wine to moisten (I suggest blackberry)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
8 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut
8 ounces nuts of your choice, grated (optional for nut allergies)
¼ cup turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons cherry jam or chopped brandied cherries (non-chametz)
In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients and just barely cover the chopped fruit with water. Let the mixed fruit sit overnight in the refrigerator and then drain the bowl once the fruit is plumped. In a large saucepan, combine the wine, cinnamon, coconut, nuts, and sugar and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Add the dried fruit and cherry jam to the sauce and gently cook for another 10 minutes.
Do not allow it to burn. Remove from the heat, let it cool, and place in a container. Keeps for 3–5 days.
KOSHERSOUL>>> COLLARDS
Serves 8
¼ cup of canola oil
1 cup of red onion cut into thin slices
1 long red cayenne pepper cut into thin rings or 1 tablespoon of Fish Pepper Hot Sauce
1 tsp of crushed garlic
1 tsp of crushed ginger
1 tablespoon of powdered PAREVE
kosher chicken broth
(also called consommé by some brands)
1 teaspoon of kitchen pepper
2 tablespoons of lime juice
2 tsp of coconut sugar
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
3 cups of vegetable stock
(make your own with 2 carrots cut into rounds, 1 onion studded with cloves, 3 pieces of mashed garlic, 2 parsnips cut into rounds, 1 cubed turnip, 1 bunch parsley, 3 chopped celery ribs and 1 small cubed sweet potato covered with water and slow simmered for 3 hours)
4 pounds of collards, stemmed, trimmed and cut into long thin strips.
Partly based on Matt’s Four Pepper Collards, from The Lee Bros.
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat, after a few minutes toss in the onion slices, and hopefully they will make the telltale light sizzle and begin to sweat. Add the red pepper, garlic, ginger, the broth powder and kitchen pepper and slowly sweat on a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring when necessary.
Raise the heat to medium high. Add the thin strips of collard green handful by handful, stirring and adjusting as necessary. With each batch of 3 handfuls quick cook for about 5 minutes. When all the collards have been incorporated, add the vegetable stock, allow the collards to come to a boil, but then lower the heat so that the pot settles into a slow bubble and add lime juice, coconut sugar and smoked paprika.
Cover and cook on a low simmer for 45 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve over cooked rice or grits.
JOLLOF RICE>>>
Serves 4
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1½ cups long-grain white rice, washed and drained
1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper or kitchen pepper >>>
½ tsp. seasoned salt or jollof rice seasoning
2½ cups vegetable or chicken stock, homemade or store-bought, or Maggi broth
Kitchen Pepper Recipe
(Yields ½ cup)
2 tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1 tbsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbsp. ground allspice
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground ginger
1 tbsp. ground mace
1 tbsp. ground white pepper
1 tbsp. red pepper flakes
Make the kitchen pepper if using:
Combine the black pepper, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, mace, white pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to six months.
Make the jollof:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over mediumhigh heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 4–5 minutes, until soft. Add the tomato paste, turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the rice, chili pepper, black pepper or kitchen pepper, and seasoned salt. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Add the stock, cover, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the liquid is nearly but not completely absorbed. Remove the lid, place a piece of aluminum foil over the pan, return the lid to the pan over the foil, and steam for another 20 minutes.
GINGER>>> CUMIN+GARLIC ROASTED VEGETABLES
Preheat oven to 425°F.
I prefer to roast vegetables on the middle rack.
Combine vegetables in a bowl with seasonings and oil; toss a few times, and place in a single layer on a flat cookie sheet or pan covered with foil.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and roast for about 20 minutes, undisturbed.
Then give the vegetables a check to make sure they are browning evenly and are becoming tender.
You might decide to turn some over and let the other side cook for another 20 minutes.
Serves 4-6
5–6 small potatoes
—red, purple, or yellow—cut in half
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
(use whatever color you like; I like white or yellow in this dish)
1–2 bell peppers, cut into equal sections or chunks
1 handful fresh green beans, snapped
4 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons grated raw ginger
4–6 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
I always toss finished veggies with chopped flatleaf parsley and throw them in a serving bowl. They can rest, but not for too long; they go to sleep fairly early but should be warm.
Freedom Seder 1969 EXCERPT
IF WE
So the struggles for freedom that remain will be more dark and difficult than any we have met so far. For we must struggle for a freedom that enfolds stern justice, stern bravery, and stern love. Blessed art thou, O Lord our God! who hast confronted us with the necessity of choice and of creating our own book of thy Law.
How many and how hard are the choices and the tasks the Almighty has set before us!
...were to end a single genocide but not to stop the other wars that kill men and women as we sit here, it would not be sufficient;
If we were to end those bloody wars but not disarm the nations of the weapons that could destroy all mankind, it would not be sufficient;
If we were to disarm the nations but not to end the brutality with which the police attack black people in some countries, brown people in others; Moslems in some countries, Hindus in other; Baptists in some countries, atheists in others; Communists in some countries, conservatives in others, it would not be sufficient;
If we were to end outright police brutality but not prevent some people from wallowing in luxury while others starved, it would not be sufficient;
If we were to make sure that no one starved but were not to free the daring poets from their jails, it would not be sufficient;
If we were to free the poets from their jails but to train the minds of people so that they could not understand the poets, it would not be sufficient;
If we educated all men and women to understand the free creative poets but forbade them to explore their own inner ecstasies, it would not be sufficient;
If we allowed men and women to explore their inner ecstasies but would not allow them to love one another and share in the human fraternity, it would not be sufficient.
SPECIAL EXHIBIT
A BETTER LIFE FOR THEIR CHILDREN:
JULIUS ROSENWALD, BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, AND THE 4,978 SCHOOLS THAT CHANGED AMERICA
February 24, 2023 - May 21, 2023
In the early 20th century, a historic collaboration between white businessman Julius Rosenwald and Black educator Booker T. Washington led to the building of nearly 5,000 public schools — also known as “Rosenwald Schools” — in the Southeastern United States to improve education opportunities for African American students. For this photography exhibition, Andrew Feiler drove more than 25,000 miles, photographed 105 schools, and interviewed former students, teachers, preservationists, and community leaders from each participating state.
Feiler’s book of the same title, now in its third printing and available at the Tennessee State Museum Store, includes an introduction by former Rosenwald School attendee and congressman, John Lewis.
It contains 85 images that capture interiors and exteriors, schools restored and yet-to-be restored, and portraits of people with compelling connections to these schools.
Frank Brinkley & Charles Brinkley, Sr. – Educators, Brothers, Rosenwald School Former Students (Photo Credit - Andrew Feiler
The accompanying traveling exhibition originated at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia, and has also been shown at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. The Tennessee State Museum is the next stop on its tour.
About Rosenwald Schools
Born to Jewish immigrants, Julius Rosenwald rose to lead Sears, Roebuck & Company and turn it into the world’s largest retailer. Born into slavery, Booker T. Washington became the founding principal of the Tuskegee Institute. Together, the two men launched a program to partner with Black communities to build public schools for African American children.
During the time, African American students faced obstacles posed by racial segregation, violence, and discrimination. From 1912 to 1937, the program built 4,978 schools across 15 southern states, including 354 in Tennessee. Rosenwald schools drove dramatic improvement in Black educational attainment and educated the generation who became leaders of the Civil Rights movement.
About Andrew Feiler
Andrew Feiler is a fifth generation Georgian. Having grown up Jewish in Savannah, he has been shaped by the rich complexities of the American South. Feiler has long been active in civic life. He has helped create over a dozen community initiatives, serves on multiple notfor-profit boards, and is an active advisor to numerous elected officials and political candidates. His art is an extension of his civic values.
Feiler’s photographs have been featured in solo exhibitions innumerous museums and galleries and are in prominent collections including that of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
THE BRIDGE>>>
“…I will never forget our march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, before we met the sea of blue Alabama state troopers on the other side. We walked two by two, totally in faith, not knowing what our end would be. We were silent. Just six hundred of us walking in a quiet persistence. To me, it felt like a holy march, so solemn, so reverent, so filled with unity and purpose.
Though in the pictures we look so alone, I felt like there was a band of brothers and sisters, the seen and unseen who marched with us. Our spirits joined with others through the ages who had determined to stand for justice, and they were also there.”
SENATOR JOHN LEWIS
ACROSS THAT BRIDGE: LIFE LESSONS AND A VISION FOR CHANGE
AVEVA>>> IN CONCERT
Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 7pm • Location TBA
Aveva Dese is an Ethiopian-Israeli singersongwriter who fuses traditional Ethiopian sounds & grooves with her soul-pop melodies, producing a unique style with universal appeal. As a first-generation immigrant from Ethiopia, Aveva brings a fascinating life story into her music. She sings about society, freedom, and love, creating an inspiring and empowering experience.
Aveva’s 2nd album - “In My Thoughts”, was released in march 2019 and has received great reviews in the Israeli music scene. Aveva brings her own unique cultural flare to the table with her own style: a mix of powerful texts (in both English and Amharic) and traditional Ethiopian sounds.
Originally discovered on the Israeli version of The Voice, Aveva has displayed her universal appeal on tours with Idan Raichel and with her original music at festivalacross Israel, Europe and North America.
