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.
Scroll to continue
More Love
How To Cook Turkey London Broil
How to cook turkey london broil? 1. Marinate 2. Roast in a 375˚ F. oven for approximately …
73 Israeli Food Recipes You Need To Try
Yom Haatzamut is just around the corner (in 2021 it will be celebrated from the night of …
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
Thanks Amy! Great luck!
Thanks Etta! I think the party will be lots of fun. Best of Luck!
WOW – YAEL what an unbelievably cool perspective. I thank you for entering and sharing your story! Hope you are enjoying Israel. Best of luck!
LOL!!!!!!!! Thanks Marion (notice she didn’t promise to invite you 🙂
SO happy you entered Dina from Givat Shaul – great luck!
Hey Abby! Thanks for entering!
Thanks Deborah – great luck!
Hey Shoshana and Michelle from Karnei Shomron! Great great luck!
Thanks Tami from Modiin!
Thanks Rachael! Best of luck!!!!
WHOOOOOHOOOOO!!!! Welcome Home! Thank you so much Debbie. Efrat/Teaneck is now in the running. Great luck and great to hear from you. Please let me know if I can help at all with your klita. Wishing you bracha and hatzlacha!!!!!
YEAH! I have great friends in Betar. Thanks for volunteering.
Hi Marcia from Maale Adumim. Best of luck!
HUGS BACK!!! Thanks so much for entering – great luck and I’ll see you around Hashmonaim when visiting my family.
WOW WOW WOW!!!! Mina Yocheved you are the first Eilat entry — this is way too cool!
Thanks neighbor! Great luck!
Yeah Baby – now you are talkin’ – we will enter you Tziona – thank you for volunteering!
So excited to have won!!! You are invited if you’d like free vacation in the North :).
OH I SO want a vacay!!! I am headed to NY 3 times over the next 6 weeks – but I really can’t thank you enough for the invite! Have so much fun!
Waiting for the cookbook to arrive!
Let us know next time you’re in the Golan with your family on a tiyul.
My sil in Toronto said she’ll be seeing you at the BAYT Mikva Fundraiser. Have fun!
Oooh cant wait to meet her. Please be sure she introduces herself to me.
Thanks Melissa – so wonderful to hear from Be’er Sheva!
ah ok got the follow up – great you will be entered!
There are a number of vegetarian recipes in the book. We will still enter you if you’d like. Please let us know.
So happy you think it’s unbelievably fun — we do too! Best of luck and say hi to Toby Katz and Rebbetzin Debbie Winter in Har Nof if you know either of them!
hi Chava from Kochav Yaakov – thank you for entering!
Hey HUDI!!!!!!!!!!! Shout out to Mitzpeh!
Bracha – how wonderful to hear from you in Beersheva. We missed you in Jlem but I am thrilled to be in touch with you now. Thanks for volunteering and great luck!
So excited to be hosting a food club party!!! planning the menu and guests already!!!!!
YAY YAY YAY!!! Thanks again Bracha SO very much!
Rechelle thank you for entering! I love that everyone is so excited about throwing a party!
Shalom! I am Robin. I live on Kibbutz Tirat Zvi (from the religious kibbutz movement) in the beautiful Valley of Springs. I am a nutritionist and work at Tirat Zvi meats as a technologist. Cooking is how I express my creativity and also feed my hungry family. I’d love to host a party (perhaps we can get a cooperation going with the tasty and high quality products we produce)
Hi Jamie, I live in Katzrin (the Golan) and it would be so wonderful to have a cookbook party for our Golan English Speaking Women’s group, and I would love to host.
Such a fun idea to bring good friends and yummy food together. I’d love to host one in Tel Aviv! 🙂
Hi!! I have been following your website and enjoying it so!,
Would love to host a cook food party in my home in Hoshaya. It would be lots of fun, Americans and Israelis together!!
I live in Central Tel Aviv and love hosting dinner parties!
Would love to host a block party like this. I live in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
I live in Talpiyot Jerusalem and would love to host. I’d also be willing to host in New Jersey when I go there for a few months.
Hi Jamie, I’m a food writer/columnist/former cooking instructor in Efrat. When I lived in Atlanta we did something like this on a regular basis and it was fabulous fun. I would love to host with friends from all over Gush Etzion.
What could be better than cooking with friends, eating with friends, sharing stories and tips with friends while looking at the mediterranean and recipes inspired by Joy of Kosher! I live in Netanya and my friends would love this!
I’m a “vatika” – 52 years in Israel and just moved to Tel Aviv. I think I can host a small group in my new apt.
Hi Jamie. I met you in Jerusalem at the Cinemateque event and would love to host a dinner party. I have all of your cookbooks
i live in Raanana
This sounds like so much fun! Would love to host in Modiin.
Sounds great. My name is Ariela and I live in Ramat Beit Shemesh
I live in Oranit and would love to host!
WOW WOW WOW!!!! So amazing – sounds like your family would be perfect! Great luck!
How awesome! Thank you for entering from Ariel, Devo!
Thanks for entering! (I always marvel at how clean and nice Modiin is when I drive through :-)!
LOVE BAKA it’s SO pretty! Great luck Linda!
oooooh an addict! cool! you have officially been entered to win!
Thanks Tamar so much! Great Luck!
Thanks Sharona – Great Luck!
YAY thanks Marissa so much for your support to date – thrilled to enter you into the drawing! Hope you get to add my new one to your collection!
Thanks for entering!
Hi Jamie!!!
Sorry I wasn’t at the party but I would looove to host this type if evening. Right up my alley. And I already bought the cookbook soon guess I’ll have to choose one of my lucky friends to give my hosted gift to.
As you know, I’m in nofei aviv, bet shemesh. I think I can put together a nice sized group. Be in touch!!
Love,
Sara
Linor in Yerushalayim! (Can I be a vegetarian host???)
Hi! My name is Hailey and I live in Jerusalem, and I’d love to host! Thanks!