Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review"[
Falafel Nation is] a thought-provoking read for someone interested in a detailed, intellectual exploration of the origins of Israeli identity from a new perspective."—Joy Getnick, Jewish Book Council
"
Falafel Nation is an extraordinary, insightful study of Zionism and modern Jewish nationalism."
—Washington Book Review"Raviv successfully accomplishes a difficult task in a work that foodies, historians and sociologists will find of great interest."—Rachel Esserman,
Reporter Group"Informative and intriguing."—Sheldon Kirshner,
Times of Israel"This book is an excellent cultural and culinary history in the making of Israel's modern day identity, and how religious and secular ideologies surprisingly worked together to unify the nation. . . . Excellent writing and thorough research."—Jordan Griffith,
International Social Science Review"[A] fascinating cultural history."—Jenna Weissman Joselit,
Springer Journal“
Falafel Nation [is] a book that makes food a partner in the creation of Israel in the twentieth century, set in the context of migrations, politics, intergroup struggles, and state building. This work will be an important addition to the literature on food history and the history of Israel.”—Hasia R. Diner, author of
Hungering for America: Italian, Irish, and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration “What do Israelis talk about when they talk about food? Yael Raviv explores the food stories emerging from Zionism as they take shape in response to crisis, propaganda, and wave after wave of immigration. This lively and enlightening study of agriculture and cuisine as powerful elements in the task of state-making deserves wide readership in the academy and beyond.”—Laura Shapiro, author of
Perfection Salad: Women and Cooking at the Turn of the Century “Original, thought-provoking, and in many ways groundbreaking.
Falafel Nation is rich with interesting and insightful ideas and comments that made me think time and again of the ways in which Israel can be observed from the culinary perspective. No doubt, approaching Israeli history, society, and political conflicts from the kitchen and the restaurant allows for a fresh and, indeed, critical view of this society.”—Nir Avieli, author of
Rice Talks: Food and Community in a Vietnamese Town “Everybody who is interested in nation-building should read this book. Using falafel as a metaphor, Yael Raviv has done a brilliant job at portraying her native country. Bravo!”—Joan Nathan, author of
Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in FranceTable of ContentsList of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Putting Down Roots: Agricultural Labor and Icons
2. Patriotic Distribution: The “Hebrew” Watermelon
3. Kitchen Lessons: Educating Home Cooks
4. The Virtual Kitchen: Making Room for Pleasure
5. The Professional Kitchen: Articulating a National Cuisine
6. No Table Required: Consumption and the Public Sphere
Conclusion
Appendix: Historical Context
Notes
Bibliography
Index
