Commemorating October 7th 2023–One year on
By MANDY ALLEN
There are many miraculous accounts of survival from the 7th of October. One of the more unexpected is that of the printing press on Kibbutz Be’eri which is now producing a very special and meaningful recipe book.
That it only suffered slight external damage is beyond belief when so much of the kibbutz was devasted. Ninety-seven residents murdered by Hamas that day and thirty abducted into Gaza, some who have subsequently been pronounced dead. We are talking about the printing press at Kibbutz Be’eri; its main source of income and the heart of a place that once thrived with life and productivity. A true reflection of Israeli resilience, the printing press was operational only a few days after the attack and is helping to rebuild this community, economically, structurally, demographically and spiritually.
Their most special project to date is the recipe book titled Shavuot of Longing: Their Recipes On Our Table, first printed in March this year and soon sold out. The book, with beautiful illustrations, photographs and anecdotes, is a collection of favourite recipes chosen by the families of hostages still in Gaza and those who lost loved ones in the attack.
Food has always been one of the most powerful elements to connect us to family and those we hold dear, and the dishes and recipes in this book are a poignant, powerful and tangible reminder of that.
Given that most are Israeli recipes, freshness is the focus. In the spirit of Shavuot, you’ll find over a dozen cheesecake options alone. That the book contains 75 recipes spread across 180 pages was a symbolic decision on the part of the publishers: ‘October the 7th occurred when the State of Israel was 75, the year our hearts stopped’. Proceeds are donated to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. This Rosh Hashanah, the publishers and families invite you to prepare a recipe from the book to honour the memory of those lost and those who we are waiting to come home. May they all sit around the family table soon.
Shavuot Of Longing is on sale for R400 from the Union of Jewish Women. To order a copy, contact UJW 021 434 9555 or email projects@ujwcape.co.za.
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