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Taste of Israel Draws a Healthy Crowd
Jarrad Saffren, Sasha Rogelberg
and Andy Gotlieb | Staff Writers
T he Jewish community showed up en masse on
May 7 at the Kaiserman JCC in Wynnewood for
the Taste of Israel Festival, organized by the Jewish
Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

And while many showed up to taste Israeli food,
they also came to walk around, talk to organizational
representatives at different tables, observe chef
Michael Solomonov’s cooking demonstrations and
listen to music.

The Taste of Israel Festival provided a taste of Israel
to be sure, but it also offered a festive atmosphere.

One man even mocked U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor
Greene by wearing a shirt that said, “Jewish Space
Laser Corps.”
In the end, though, during the warm spring day, it
was about the food.

The secret ingredient to Zahav’s hummus is not
the garlic, the chickpeas or the lemon juice — though
each is important to the final product, according to
Solomonov, a James Beard Award-winning chef.

Instead, the key to smooth, fluffy hummus is ice
water, drizzled slowly through a food processor
into the whirring hummus components. The water
emulsifies with the tahini — slick and packed with
flavorful oil — to keep the hummus creamy.

That’s just one of many tips Solomonov, joined
by Philadelphia-based tahini giant Soom CEO Amy
Zitelman, shared at the festival. Hundreds of visitors
were packed under the tent in the center of the festi-
val, where Solomonov showed off his cooking chops,
proving once more why his nine different restaurants
in Philadelphia live up to the hype.

Those fortunate enough to procure a blue ticket
got to enjoy a free salatim platter from Solomonov’s
famed restaurant Zahav via his catering arm Lilah. The
platter included the aforementioned hummus, pita
and a couple of other salads.

Meantime, other vendors, including a couple of
food trucks stationed along the edge of the grounds,
provided a variety of other foods.

Just about every Jewish group you can think
of was present at the event, with the most savvy
organizations offering candy or other small freebies
to lure passersby to hear their pitches.

No kid-friendly event is complete without bouncy
castles, and they were stationed on the tennis courts.

And various musical performers could be found
at another corner of the grounds, drawing crowds
throughout the day. ■
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