How Yiddish Changed America and America Changed Yiddish

Edited by Ilan Stavans and Josh Lambert

“Of course, most of those Americans probably have no idea that when they order a bagel with lox, they’re speaking yiddish. There aren’t, to be clear, any ‘essentially’ Jewish foods; there are foods that developed in Poland, Russia, Hungary, Ukraine, and elsewhere in Europe, which Jews embraced, brought with them to America, transformed, and then market successfully to American consumers….As widely known as some Jewish dishes have become—challah, babka, pastrami, matzo ball soup—many other dishes remain relatively unknown pleasures enjoyed largely by insiders….” p. 137

“Once upon a time, there was a baker with his own bakery who made bread, rolls, pretzels, bagels, and challah for Shabbos.

His wife would tie up her hair in a scarf and knead the dough, and the children would twist the bagels into circles.

The whole town delighted in they pretzels and bagels. Even the birds would come down from the heavens in order to catch the crumbs and twitch their tails feathers with pleasure.” p. 154

“I went to get her coffee and a large egg cookie. While I stood at the counter, I turned my head and looked at her. Esther had taken off her mannish fur hat and smoothed her hair. She folded her newspaper, which meant that she was ready to talk.” p. 182

“No matter where it’s purchased, rugelach tastes familiar—buttery dough rolled around raisins and walnuts and caramelized with a rainfall of sugar on top.” p. 150