Following the amazing JOY of KOSHER Israel Launch Party at the Cinematheque in Jerusalem in December we decided that we all enjoy getting together with friends over good food too much to let too much time go by before getting together again.
So! We’re starting something new in Israel that we hope you’ll want to join. It’s a way to connect with friends, new and old, in REAL LIFE. Fancy that!
We are looking for 12 volunteers across Israel to HOST our community cookbook club dinner parties:
If you volunteer and are selected to host you will receive a FREE copy of our first selection… (listen for that drum roll)… my brand new cookbook JOY of KOSHER Fast, Fresh, Family Recipes by Jamie Geller (me!). The book retails for $30 US and 125 NIS but as a host you will receive your copy for FREE! (I know we said that already but just wanted to clarify for all y’all). You will then have the perfect excuse to host a fabulous Joy of Kosher dinner party with your favorite foodie friends.
Q What Does a Host Do?
A:
- Have a wonderful time! Schedule your party any time between February 21 and March 9.
- Invite at least 5 friends. (More would be better. That way there will be more food to taste.)
- Cook from the book. Each guest will cook a recipe from the book to bring to the party.
- Take pictures of the party, including the food and your friends and email the photos to us and tell us about your party, no later than March 17th, for inclusion in a future article on JoyofKosher.com.
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A few more suggestions to help you host your cookbook club:
Q: Who makes what?
A: Usually the host makes the main course and assigns each guest a dish to make and bring to the party. But this is not a hard and fast rule. (There aren’t so many hard and fast rules in my kitchen.) So, as the host you have the option to plan the menu and assign each dish, but it’s also fun not knowing what everyone will make. So you can just assign each guest a category – soups, starters, sides, salads, mains or desserts. (Someone can even bake a bread or challah from the challah chapter!)
Q: Can I share the book with my club?
A: Sure. You can either pass around your cookbook, or each person can buy his or her own copy (pretty please!) – they are available in Israel at all good Jewish bookshops, or if you can’t find one email us and we’ll track one down for you.
Q: What do we do at the party?
A: Eat and discuss amongst yourselves. And eat some more. Seriously, we want you to talk about the food and about the book. You can rate the recipes you each made, discuss what you liked or how you would tweak each dish. Hopefully everyone will have had a chance to read through the stories in the book too, so along with the food discussion, you can talk about your own experiences with some of the issues I write about – epic kitchen disasters, for instance, or the “what’s for dinner” debate, your favorite family heirloom recipes, and there’s lots more. (Like sleep deprivation, mother of the year award, play date lunches, brisket a love story, dessert before the meal, the power of a smile etc….) As host, you can lead the discussion with a story of your own, if you like; then go round the table to share the thoughts and experiences of others. We’re especially interested in hearing the best (and best value) food subs you make in Israel for American products.
Q: How can I volunteer to be a host?
A: Put your name and town/city in the comments below. Around February 6th we will select 12 people at random from across Israel to be our hosts and mail you the book so you can start planning.
We did this in the US and everyone had a great time, check out this cookbook club recap article to see what they did.
Update on 2/13 – So excited to see so many areas of the country included!! I wish I could give you all books and I hope you all consider hosting book club parties anyway. We spread it out and picked randomly and here are the winners – look for an email today:
1. Beth Saar, Ra’anana
2. Mina Yocheved, Eilat
3. Yael Maoz Rehovot
4 Sonia Esther Soltani Tel Aviv
5. Bracha Goldman Beersheva
6. Sara Mor – Bet Shemesh Nofei Aviv
7. Sue Epstein Efrat
8. Hadassah Levy Eli
9. Daniella Tannenwald Modiin
10.Tziona – Hispin (Golan)
11. Dave and Miri Bender – Tzfat
12. Marissa – Netanya
Hi, Selah Gitlin here of beautiful Nahariya! Would love to be a host and will hope there are plenty of gluten-free recipes in your book!
What fun! Jeanne in Zichron Ya’akov, I’d love to be a part of this.
I live in Aderet (a moshav near Bet Shemesh) and love cooking, though normally only entertain on Shabbat. It would be a real joy to host a cookbook dinner party!
This sounds wonderful! My name is Sarah and I live in Kiryat Hasharon (Netanya)
Sounds like fun! We live in Modi’in.
Alana, Jerusalem. Would love to host a cookbook dinner 🙂
Hadassah Levy, Eli. Any excuse to get together with some friends and some good food.
Hi, I’m from Ma’ale Adumim. Would love to host.
Shalom! What an amazing idea and a way to make new friends and meet fellow gourmands. I am an olah chadasha (less than three weeks), love hosting and cooking (born in France, lived in London for over a decade and travelled a lot to learn about local cultures) and I live with a Greek flatmate who’s also passionate about tasty, healthy and colourful cuisine. I am a writer (travel and food are two of my main areas) and love nothing more than a good party. I live in Tel Aviv and keep kosher. Whoever ends up hosting, have fun! Esther
My name is Ayala and I live in the San Simon area of Jerusalem. My husband and I love to cook and think it would be a lot of fun to host this event.
Hi I’m from the Sheinfeld neighborhood in Beit Shemesh and would love to host ladies here.
I Would love to host a cookbook party a my home in Hod Hasharon. I love this great idea! Can it be adopted for other cookbooks as well or is it copyright proteced 🙂
As a former columnist for JTA in which I featured recipes and cookbooks, this sounds like a fun idea.
I live in Jerusalem in Ramot.
Ariel!
My name is Gabriella and I would love to host a party. I enjoy trying new recipes and finding new family favorites. I live in Beit Shemesh.
I live in Beit Shemesh and would love to host a get together of ladies here.
Britt Sevitt in Ra’anana!
I am in Ra’anana. Sounds like fun!
Hi, I’m Yael and I live in Rehovot. I am a scientist and I work with many other scientists visiting Israel for 1-3 years from around the world. We have a network of women scientists that meet regularly for professional support but also for fun! We have already planned an upcoming dinner party in February and this would be the perfect topic. Two of us in the group keep kosher and the other ladies are wanting to know more and what types of wonderful cuisine can be served and still keep kosher. This would be a great way to show off just how great it could be…and their comments coming from so many places and backgrounds could be very interesting and enlightening 🙂 Cheers!
This is right up my alley! Marion Rosen, Ma’ale Adumim. (And I promise I’ll invite Marcia…)
I love cooking, Would love to host a party! Givat Shaul, Jerusalem.
Dina
Hi there! My name is Abby Buchnick, I live in Hashmonaim, and I’d love to host!!
I live in Modiin and would love to host!
Hi Jamie,
We think that this is a wonderful idea. We live in Karnei Shomron and would love to host an event like this. Please be in touch.
Shoshana and Michelle
Tami Ross in Modiin
Hi Jamie, my name is Rachael Newman and I live in Chashmonaim, Israel. We love to cook and entertain and think this would be a lot of fun. Hoping to hear from you.
Hi Jamie,
As an olah chadasha (arrived 8/13/13) I watched your Joy of Aliyah series waiting for it to be my turn. I get your enewsletter & subscribed to the magazine in America. I really miss getting it!
I moved to Efrat & would live to host, especially for all my former Teaneck friends & family living here too. Thanks!
I would love to host a dinner party. I live in Betar.
Hi, my name is Marcia & I live in Maale Adumim & I’d love to host!
Hi Jamie!! I would love to host this. I live in Hashmonaim. Hope all is well by you. Hugs!
Rachel
Mina here representing Eilat!!!!
B’H I live in Ramot Bet Jerusalem and would love to host a cookbook club!
How about a Joy of Kosher Party in the Golan???
Melissa Pursell, Be’er Sheva, Israel
I would love to host and I love to cook.
PS Nachlaot, Jerusalem
I would like to host but have been kosher vegetarian for 45 years.
Wow! What an unbelievable and fun Idea! I would LOVE to host. I live in Harnof, Jerusalem
My name is Chava Kovacs and I live in Kochav Yaakov and would love to host!
Mitzpeh Yericho
It would be a great honour to be a hostess in Beersheva!! You have many fans here, and I am an addicted cookbook experimenter, and experienced cook and hostess. SO sorry I missed the evening in Jerusalem – distance and logistics precluded attending.
This is sucha great Idea- I live in Ariel and have quite a few friends here who are foodies or love to cook.
Id also love the cookbook, I have a collection of cookbooks, Love them for cooking and for reading!
Thanks for considering me!
Hi-
We’re a family of foodies who love to entertain. Our home in Tzfat is well known for its hospitality, eclectic company, and terrific food.
Hope to hear from you!
Devo Kessin. I live in Ariel.
I live in Modiin and would love to host a Joy of Kosher Cookbook club!
Linda Nechamkin-Sinvani
Jerusalem, Israel (BAKA)
Hi, I’m Ruth and I’m a cookbook (and cookery) addict. I would love to get a free copy of Jamie Geller’s new cookbook. I’m in Jerusalem.
Hi! I’m Tamar Veres from Jerusalem and would love to host a dinner party for friends showcasing these delicious recipes!
Hi! I would like to host the Joy of Kosher cookbook club! Sharona Halickman, Jerusalem
Would LOVE this! I own both the first books, I have a cookbook collection of about 70 books and I love reading and re-reading my cookbooks. My collection was the first thing I considered when we were talking about making aliya and we basically sent a lift to bring all my books (and my kids toys, of course).
I live in Netanya, lots of young foodies around here and I LOVE cooking! Please pick me 🙂
Hi,
My name: Shlomi Ashuri
Town/City: Zerufa (or Tzrufa)