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Got Gelt?
In early December of 2006, my husband Mark and I discovered the roots of chocolate Chanukah gelt. That winter we drove a rental car from Brussels to Liege, Belgium, searching for a chocolate museum in the nearby town of Eupen. As we descended the hilly road that took us into downtown Liege to our hotel, we stopped at a red light where several young adults wearing plasticy, white coats covered with hand writing in many colors of marking pen, surprisingly approached the car window with cups in their hands. They said a few words in Flemish, shrugged and walked away. We had no idea what they said nor what they wanted, but we were in Europe so we were, perhaps mistakenly, not frightened. Later that night we walked in the city centre where we were greeted repeatedly by similar groups, again wearing the white coats, again shaking the cups. This time we noticed coins in the cups. Perplexed about what was going on, we inquired about this at the Tourist Office the next day. The attendant patiently explained that we had arrived during the feast of St. Nicolas, December 6, when college students customarily roam the streets begging gifts of coins which they use to buy beer for partying in celebration of the holiday.
…more to come.
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| Jews & Chocolate
There are some surprising Jewish connections with chocolate, including Jews in the early chocolate trade and early Jewish chocolate makers. Because the discovery of chocolate and the Spanish Inquisition, along with the Expulsion of Jews from Spain and later from Portugal, coincided, the Jewish connection to chocolate in the early days was primarily through Conversos in Portugal, France, Belgium, Holland, the Caribbean and North America. Later on, Jews engaged in candy making as well.
As we travel, my husband, Rabbi Mark Hurvitz and I explore local chocolate opportunities and culture.
I research the associations between Jews and chocolate, both historical and contemporary.
Stories
Got Gelt?
Cocoa-dar
Shanah Tovah u’Metukah! But, Where’s the Chocolate?
Chocolate Travel
Exploring Chocolate in Spain and Southwestern France
On the Trail of Belgian Chocolate Museums
Milk & Chocolate in the Promised Land
Mixing Chocolate & Work in the East Bay
About
Rabbi Deborah R. Prinz
Upcoming Events
Project: Divine Chocolate!™
Past Events
Lecture: Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis, Annual Convention, Palm Spring, California; January 2009
Lecture: Hazon Food Conference, Asilomar Conference Center, California; December 2008
Lecture: Temple Shaarey Tefillah, New York City; September, 2008:
Lecture: Hazon New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride Shabbaton; September 2008
Chocolate Day in New York City
May 4, 2008
Lecture: “Jews on the Chocolate Trail,” part of “Taste Matters” series at the Magnes Museum, Berkeley, CA; December 6, 2007
Visit: The New York Chocolate Festival; November, 2007
Links to this project
The Jew and the Carrot
"On A Chocolate Chai"
in The Jewish Week, May 14, 2008
Fellowships
2009: Recipient of the Gilder Lehrman Fellowship of the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
2008 (Fall): Director's Fellowship from the American Jewish Archives to research Jews and chocolate in the colonial period
2008 (Spring): Recipient of The Starkoff Fellowship from the American Jewish Archives to research Jews and chocolate in the colonial period |
