3,000 at Taste Of Kosher in Chicago

Chicago supermarket chain Jewel-Osco, which features one of the largest Kosher offerings in the Midwest, held their third annual “Taste of Kosher Food Fair” this past Sunday.

The event was a tremendous success with over 3,000 people attending throughout the day to sample Kosher foods displayed by over 55 different Kosher companies from around the U.S. and Israel.

The event also included a live cooking demos with Chef Rafael Perez from the St. Augustine College, Culinary Arts and Chef Adam Kaufman of Mikee.

This year, the event entertainment was significantly ramped up when Country Yossi, singing on stage for the first time in years, joined Uncle Moishy on the center stage for a two hour joint concert.

Following their performance was a photo op session with both Jewish celebrities and the line snaked around the building as customers vied to get their picture taken with them.

Another big addition this year was Nachum Segal broadcasting his world renowned radio show LIVE from the store, interviewing customers and community dignitaries plus raffling off prizes throughout the day.

However the biggest highlight-and Kiddush Hashem-came at the special 9/11 Memorial Ceremony held center stage where members of local emergency first responders, including the Deputy Police Chief and officers from the Evanston Police Dept, joined the State Police and members of local Hatzolah at a special moment of silence ceremony, emceed by Nachum Segal and presided over by Rabbi Dov Hillel Klein, Chief Chaplain of the Evanston Police Dept and shliach of the Tananebaum Chabad house in Evanston.

Following this ceremony, a free Customer Appreciation Kosher BBQ was held where the over 3,000 attendees enjoyed everything from freshly grilled Shor Habor hot dogs to delicious snacks and much more.

Many shluchim from all throughout Illinois and Wisconsin drove in to attend this event that truly exemplified “Mivtza Kashrus” in every term of the words.

Albertsons Director of Specialty and Ethnic Foods, Yakov Yarmove, himself a member of the Chicago Anash community, organized this event to celebrate Jewel’s 12th anniversary of opening this World-class Kosher store-within-a-store and commented, “It was such a Kiddush Hashem to see the throngs of people that attended this event, even surpassing the tremendous attendance we had last year, which really reflects how Kosher foods when offered to the public in a traditional supermarket setting, can really make it so much more accessible and easier for people to buy and keep Kosher.”

In addition to this flagship store which boasts a full Kosher deli, bakery, butcher shop, fish dept, sushi, fresh salad bar, in store popcorn shop and even a Kosher Chinese restaurant, all staffed by a team of OU Mashgichim; Jewel-Osco also carries a Kosher offering in many of the balance of its 184 stores, especially in areas near Shluchim that cannot easily get to Chicago often.