Join UJA Northern Westchester and Shaaray Tefila Talks to hear from author and Jewish Food Society founder Naama Shefi. Naama will share how a passion for saving family recipes grew into a global effort to document Jewish culture through food. She’ll explore the origins of the Jewish Food Society, the stories behind its acclaimed cookbook, The Jewish Holiday Table, and how food connects generations and strengthens community.
Guests will be treated to light bites featuring recipes from The Jewish Holiday Table, prepared by Renana Shvil of Fiddleheads Cooking Studio.
You’ll also discover UJA’s latest work helping people in need, including those in Israel rebuilding their lives and shaping the future of the Jewish state.
Food, Identity, and Community
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
7:00 PM
placeWestchester
Featuring
Naama Shefi
Author of “The Jewish Holiday Table” and Founder of the Jewish Food Society
Naama Shefi is a kibbutznik and a New Yorker, whose work sits at the intersection of food, culture, community-building, and art. In 2017, she founded the nonprofit Jewish Food Society, which preserves and celebrates Jewish culinary heritage through a digital recipe archive and dynamic events. In the summer of 2021, she launched Asif: Culinary Institute of Israel, a center in Tel Aviv dedicated to exploring the diverse and creative food culture of Israel.
Naama lives on the Lower East Side with her husband, Ilan, and their daughter, Ella.
Moderator
June Hersh
Author
June Hersh is a cookbook author with a focus on Jewish food culture. Her books include the best-selling Recipes Remembered, a Celebration of Survival, a compendium of stories and recipes she gathered from Holocaust survivors. Her new book, Iconic New York Jewish Food, celebrates the intersection of New York's most crave-worthy foods and the Jewish immigrant experience.
Leadership
Suzanne Fromm • Amanda Garfinkle • Emma Hest • Wendy Strauss
Event Chairs
Suzanne Fromm • Amanda Garfinkle • Emma Hest • Wendy Strauss
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