Food is a very powerful thing. Yes, it is a source of nourishment, but it is also a record of our family moments. So many of our family, cultural and religious celebrations revolve around or feature food. Christmas turkeys, feasts at Eid, grandma's lemon pie...food is a powerful source of connection to each other. It is also a way to connect to the past. For the past few years, I have been using food in my classroom as a way to connect to the lives and experiences of others.
A number of years ago, I was fortunate enough to hear a gentleman speak at the Holocaust Symposium, an event put on here by the Jewish Community, which brings high school students together with survivors of the Holocaust in an effort to share their stories and to never forget. Alex Buckman shared his story of hiding in a Catholic orphanage in Belgium during the latter half of the war as a small child and he also shared the story of his aunt Rebecca. Rebecca was in Ravensbruck concentration camp, and at great personal risk, she created a small recipe book of her most treasured recipes. She stole the paper and pencil needed to create the book (and could have faced severe punishment if discovered). The book was read and shared throughout the women's barracks as a way to connect the women with their cultural and family heritage. In a place where starvation was a fact of life, talking about food gave them hope for the future. At the end of his talk, Mr. Buckman shared with us a recipe from his aunt's book and encouraged us to go home and make it with our families.
To say I was moved is an understatement. To say I was inspired is putting it mildly. I went home and made the cake with my children. But I also made it for my students. Every year I make Rebecca Teitelbaum's Orange Cake and share not only the cake but also her story and that of Alex. I try to connect them with the symbol of hope during what was the darkest period of someone's life. The cake serves as a bridge to another life and for a brief moment give them something to relate to.
I shared this cake today with my grade 11 classes. It's a tremendous moment when they realize what it is and what it means. I have seen tears in class, but also gratitude for what it brings them. It creates a sense of community and a shared experience.
Food can be so powerful.
A number of years ago, I was fortunate enough to hear a gentleman speak at the Holocaust Symposium, an event put on here by the Jewish Community, which brings high school students together with survivors of the Holocaust in an effort to share their stories and to never forget. Alex Buckman shared his story of hiding in a Catholic orphanage in Belgium during the latter half of the war as a small child and he also shared the story of his aunt Rebecca. Rebecca was in Ravensbruck concentration camp, and at great personal risk, she created a small recipe book of her most treasured recipes. She stole the paper and pencil needed to create the book (and could have faced severe punishment if discovered). The book was read and shared throughout the women's barracks as a way to connect the women with their cultural and family heritage. In a place where starvation was a fact of life, talking about food gave them hope for the future. At the end of his talk, Mr. Buckman shared with us a recipe from his aunt's book and encouraged us to go home and make it with our families.
To say I was moved is an understatement. To say I was inspired is putting it mildly. I went home and made the cake with my children. But I also made it for my students. Every year I make Rebecca Teitelbaum's Orange Cake and share not only the cake but also her story and that of Alex. I try to connect them with the symbol of hope during what was the darkest period of someone's life. The cake serves as a bridge to another life and for a brief moment give them something to relate to.
I shared this cake today with my grade 11 classes. It's a tremendous moment when they realize what it is and what it means. I have seen tears in class, but also gratitude for what it brings them. It creates a sense of community and a shared experience.
Food can be so powerful.