At the Jewish Food Society we appreciate nasty women. Women who speak their minds, women who tell stories and truths, who don’t hold back, who make us laugh and reflect. This week, 150 people gathered to hear from five exceptional women at a special edition of our live storytelling event Schmaltzy, hosted at the 14th Street Y.

Many thanks to comedian Cory Kahaney for being our emcee and to our speakers for feeding us not only with their stories, but dishes like kubaneh, gefilte fish, matzo ball soup, lamb pulao, and s’mores.

Couldn’t make it to the event? Listen to all of the stories below.

Jordana Rothman, Writer

Little Jordy, as Jordana Rothman calls her young self, showed up at mommy and me Girl Scout camp in the 1990s dressed like an old Jewish man. Bullied and excluded by the other campers, plans for the weekend didn’t go precisely as intended. In her poignant and relatable story, Jordana reminds all of us just how much our mothers shape our lives.

Listen to “Kaddish Dreams of Sushi,” another story from Jordana, here.

Einat Admony, Chef and owner of Taim, Balaboosta, and Kish Kash

Dining out was almost never a part of Einat Admony’s childhood in Israel. On one special occasion, her father made an exception and took the family to a high-end Asian restaurant in Tel Aviv. After the whole duck was ordered and presented to the family, he reached into his wife’s purse and pulled out a jar of homemade Yemenite hot sauce called schug. Einat was mortified, but, she learned something valuable too.

Try Einat’s family recipes for Yemenite soup, jeweled rice, and much more.

Hariette Skidelsky, Activist

In Ella Osias’s childhood home in Bucharest, money was tight. With the birth of each child, her mother would add more water to the soup pot to stretch dinner to feed all 10 children. When Ella became a mother herself, she was determined to serve hearty, flavorful soup. In the family she’s known for her matzo ball soup. But, when she left it — once — in her daughter Hariette’s hands, things didn’t go quite as planned.

Try Hariette’s family matzo ball soup recipe.

Umber Ahmad, Baker and owner of Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery

Growing in Northern Michigan, Umber Ahmad’s family stood out. Immigrants from Pakistan, her family was living 1000 Arabian Nights, she jokes. When she brought friends over for playdates, she was mortified when her mother served lamb pulao, a rice dish heady with spices. “This is our story, this is our flavor,” her mother would tell her.

Liz Alpern, Cookbook author and co-founder of The Gefilteria

When Liz Alpern arrived at business school, the recent co-founder of artisanal Jewish food company called The Gefilteria, she didn’t exactly fit in. She showed up smelling of gefilte fish once, while her classmates donned suits and pitched ideas for companies like creative condoms. Despite hurdles, she pushed through. That condom company didn’t make it, but The Gefilteria did.

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