Hi, everyone! My name is Tobi, and I am a rising high school senior. I am passionate about baking, photography, and my familial heritage, among many other interests.
Growing up in a Jewish family, I have been surrounded by customs and traditions my entire life, one in particular being Jewish cooking. From the time I could talk, I have memories of being in the kitchen learning how to prepare different Jewish dishes. I am continuously enthralled by the constant musings of my parents and grandparents recalling the delicacies that came from the kitchens of their relatives. The tradition has always served as a special way for me to connect with members of my family, and I hold it with very high regard.
Despite the special roots Jewish cooking has had in my upbringing, in the last several years, there has been a significant loss in religious involvement within the community, and therefore an absence of this tradition of Jewish cooking in the homes of many Jewish families. It’s possible that this is due in part to the changing priorities of families within the 21st century, denoting more time and attention to alternative extracurriculars, and less to religion. Although religious participation and traditional practices are still apparent to some extent, they aren’t as prevalent as they used to be. Because it has been such an important way for me to connect and bond with family members, and thus an important part of my Jewish culture, I wanted to find a way to keep this special tradition alive. Thus, Tradition in the Kitchen came to be.
Tradition in the Kitchen is a project that aims to provide an engaging and educational means of teaching kids and families the basics of beloved Jewish recipes, while simultaneously preserving these recipes for years to come.
Upon executing this project, I’ve worked to create a series of recipe videos incorporating appealing graphics and educational bits of information explaining the cultural significance of each of these cherished dishes. The videos are posted to the Tradition in the Kitchen YouTube channel. Along with each video is a printable PDF version of each recipe, so that viewers can easily follow along with my visual demonstrations. My hope is to provide an easily accessible and understandable resource for people of all ages in order to ensure it be an engaging way to teach kids and families about traditional Jewish recipes.
Although the recipes shared through this project are of traditionally Jewish descent, the project itself isn’t solely targeted at Jewish families. From my experience in the kitchen, I have found that cooking and baking have ways of bringing people together, regardless of religious beliefs. I am therefore grateful for the exposure Tradition in the Kitchen has had with individuals who don’t practice Judaism. Through the work I’ve done so far, I’ve been pleased with the positive responses from individuals and families of all religions, and their interests in pursuing many of the recipes I’ve shared.
I’m so happy to have been able to combine my love of baking, photography, and video editing, with my connection to my Jewish heritage in order to create this project. My goal is to preserve the love of Jewish cooking and baking for many years to come.
From my kitchen to yours, let's keep these traditions alive one recipe at a time.
Tobi :)
Check out my YouTube page for Jewish recipe videos:
Keep up with new recipes and Tradition in the Kitchen updates on…
Instagram: instagram.com/traditioninthekitchen
Check out the Tradition in the Kitchen website for more information:
Let me know what you think of the Tradition in the Kitchen videos or suggest a recipe here:
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