Ben Havumaki, a friend who is traveling through Southeast Asia emailed me recently from Thailand, “I’m fresh back from a meal at the Chabad House in Chiang Mai. I ate Schnitzel! It was paired with ‘Wok Stirred Vegetables.'”
Yum?
Whether or not the sound of that combination makes your mouth water, a meal of that nature – Ashkenazic or Israeli food made with a dash of local flavor, is characteristic of what is served at Chabad Houses the world over.
Chabad centers are in seemingly every corner of the globe (there are 3,300 centers in 75 countries), from The Democratic Republic of Congo, to Casablanca to Sao Paolo. While the long beards of the men and standard black and white attire of the shluchim, or emissaries, who run the centers, may stand out in some of the more exotic locations, the centers work hard to create a welcoming atmosphere for locals and travelers alike, sometimes using their menus to do so.
In Sao Paolo, Brazil, Eli Malowany, 20, son of the shluchim there, told me about their kosher version of feijoada, an iconic Brazilian stew made of beans, beef and several types of pork. In their rendition, the pork is replaced with various meats, from brisket to hot dogs. The availability of kosher meat in Brazil makes creating a kosher version of the dish relatively easy.
But, Brazilian dishes aren’t on the menu every shabbat lunch (which is typically served to 80-100 guests). The Malowanys change the theme each week, sometimes offering Italian food, sometimes Chinese and beyond, depending on the mood. This global buffet has an important role in their mission to encourage kosher observance among their guests. Malowany explained, “No matter which kosher food you want to eat – Brazilian, Mexican, etcetera, you can find it and it will be just as delicious as non-kosher food.”
Rabbi Shlomo Bentolila, who runs the Chabad House in The Democatic Republic of Congo generally serves what he considers “universal Jewish food” at his Shabbat table. However, one local item, African hot sauce, known as pili-pili, is a staple on the table. Made of hot red chili peppers, lemon, garlic, oil and salt, it highlights the locally grown hot peppers.
Rabbi Levi Banon in Casablanca regularly serves Moroccan food.
He says, “For shabbos we usually serve a typical Moroccan meal including Moroccan cooked salads, Moroccan fish, dafina [Moroccan cholent], etcetera. We usually host locals and we like them to feel comfortable. It is the food that people in this country enjoy.”
And of course, there are the wok stirred vegetables in Thailand.
But, for many travelers, it’s the standard “Jewish fare” and not the local flavors that stand out in their memories.
Gena Bofshever of New York recounted her time at Chabad Venice during a backpacking trip through Europe, “The thing that’s most coming to my head is chicken soup, challah and I want to say… cold cuts?” she recounted.
Josh Luckens of Boston gave an account of his travels in South America, “I went to Jabad de Cusco Peru on the Sabbath Eve. The food was horrible, typical greasy chicken and overcooked veggies that you’d get in the States. Nothing Peruvian about it.”
Ben Sales, the editor of New Voices, who has eaten in Chabad houses in Bologna, Florence, Hamburg, Barcelona and Romania recalled, “I do remember that no matter where they were, the Chabads tended to serve traditional Ashkenazic dishes.”
He conceded, however, “each Chabad also served some local cultural staples, like salsa in Barcelona or pasta in Florence.” Havumaki echoed the sentiments when recalling his meals at Chabad in Thailand: “While there were a few ‘Asian’ selections on offer, the bulk of the menu consisted of familiar Ashkenazi and Israeli dishes.”
Havumaki points to the large population of Israelis at Chabad Chiang Mai as a reason for this, “This Chabad House seems to cater to an almost exclusively Israeli crowd – many of the signs were only in Hebrew,” he explains. With the bulk of Israelis spending months abroad following army service or university, Chabad Houses are often havens and gathering places for Israelis in search of comfort food and familiar sights and sounds.
The shluchim, the travelers, the locals and the availability of kosher food are all variables that influence what will be served at the Shabbat and daily table. In the words of Malowany from Brazil, “No matter where you are in the world, Chabad is always there.” And indeed, so is their shnitzel (perhaps served with some pili-pili sauce).
Sure, people travel around the world, expecting Chabad to offer them free meals and sometimes even free accomodation – and then they feel they have the right to criticize the food??? Ugh. Please. I’m standing and cooking all day for visitors who sometimes don’t even have the mentchlichkeit to let me know they’ll be coming, at least be grateful!
my mouth is watering xcept 4 the hotdogs. They’re a bit burned….
Where is BH? i could say that its hard to grow up as a shliach20 years ago in brazil there was barelly kosher, BH with the Rebbe’s Bracha and the effort of the community we have several kosher places including Kosher McDonalds.
Personally i think that there is nothing more fullfiling that to be a shliach.
If anybody ever needs anything in Brazil or Argentina i will be more then glad to help.
Well written!! I can understand that to the casual observer life on Shlichus seems fun and “out of the ghetto” BH it is incredibly fulfilling and the best thing anyone could do with their life, it’s a life of giving, doing, one of personal growth and development and a wonderful example to our children.. But if you havent experienced it you have no idea what its like to live hundreds if not many thousands of miles away from your family and have your children not know or even barely see their grandparents and relatives (bc of cost, health and time… Read more »
well done!!!!! my father is a shliach and BH now (after struggling for 30 years ) he doesn’t owe any more money in rent or utility bills :))) it takes hard work to be where u at !!!
Nice article, but stupid comment by #3. Thanks #6 for your retort.
You wrote: “Most of the shluchim today have a much better life than people in Crown Heights.” That is very likely true spiritually. However, if you were referring to the physical side of things (since this article is about food), you have no idea what you are talking about in most instances. I’ll grant you this: in the places where most shluchim live they do not experience the rudeness, pushiness, “no time for you,” chasing life (instead of living life) and grimyness that is characteristic of life in the boroughs of NY. But, then again, the people of NY seem… Read more »
What on earth are you on about???
1) Relevance?
2) Accuracy?
They get a free hot cooked meal and they complain its too greasy get a life or eat in a hotel.
Most of the shluchim today have a much better life than people in crown heights.
in the lameds, encouraging people to go on shlichus, I seem to recall that he said the shluchim would eat the same food as the local people eat… and isn’t it true!!
Recently i was traveling on a bus from Boston to NY. Girl next to me was Jewish so we started a conversation. She told me that she travels a lot with her Reform youth group and visits different reform temples in Europe. Usually they also stop in in a Chabad House. She said she doesn’t like the services because she is never sure what to do but when she gets invited for Shabbat Dinner…she loves it. “No matter where you are they always serve the same food in the same order and switch plates at the same time.” She told… Read more »