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Paper short abstract

In this lecture I will describe a new culinary scene, in one of Israel's largest ultra-Orthodox cities, that enables, and even generates, encounters between ultra-Orthodox and secular Jews. In addition, I examine how "boundary-work" still exists in the course of these chance meetings.

Paper long abstract

The religious schism and division in Israeli society between secular and religious Jews, and especially between secular and ultra-Orthodox Jews, is described in research as one of the main focal points of tension in Israeli society. In this lecture I will describe a new culinary scene that enables, and even generates, encounters between ultra-Orthodox and secular Jews in Israel. This takes place on Thursday nights on the main streets of Bnei Brak, one of Israel's largest ultra-Orthodox cities, when traditional Eastern European Shabbat dishes are sold to the general public. The traditional foodstuffs, which were preserved in the Israeli ultra-Orthodox kitchen over the years, attract many visitors who are not part of the ultra-Orthodox society but regard the traditional dishes with great nostalgia and even longing. In my lecture, based on fieldwork documenting the Thursday-night 'happenings,' I will discuss the encounters between individuals who usually do not meet in daily life and are even hostile to one another. Nevertheless, I show how symbolic boundaries are crossed (Harris 1985; Douglas 1975) and inclusion circles are created around the culinary encounter. In addition, I examine how obvious boundary-work still exists (Gieryn, 1983; Lamont, 2002) in the course of these chance meetings.