A new initiative dedicated to the victims of the October 7 massacre in Israel aims to keep their memory alive by sharing their favorite dishes, Side Dish has learned.
The tribute to the 1,400 people killed by Hamas terrorists is the brainchild of Israel’s Culinary Institute, called ASIF, which is creating an online resource titled “A Place at the Table.”
Last week, the Israel-based nonprofit promoted the “memorial project” at a dinner in New York ahead of the one-year anniversary of the horrific attack attended by the family of Shani Gabay, who was killed at the Nova music festival.
Michelin-starred chef Gabriel Kreuther prepared the special feast at his eponymous restaurant near Bryant Park.
The menu included a spicy fish stew that was a favorite of the 25-year-old Gabay — one she enjoyed during a Shabbat dinner with her family on Oct. 6, before heading out on the doomed ride.
“She’s like a plate – a spicy girl,” said her brother, Aviel Gabay, 29, who was joined by his sister Nitzan and their mother, Michal.
“You can look at her pictures and sing songs, but experiencing her memory with food — eating and enjoying what she loved to enjoy is a unique way to bring that to the table.”
ASIF founder Naama Shefi, who was also at the dinner, described A Place at the Table as a “memorial project”.
Collecting the plates will help victims’ loved ones and survivors heal, added ASIF CEO Chico Menashe.
“Families need to commemorate the memories and stories of their loved ones in order to move forward into the future,” Menashe told Side Dish at the intimate gathering.
“The idea was to reach out to families to share the memories and stories of their loved ones with the Israeli public and a global audience through their favorite dishes.
ASIF, the Hebrew word for harvest, is also sending a video team to families of victims who want to share the story of preparing meals.
“We plan to do this as long as families want us to,” Menashe said. “As more families come forward and tell us they want to join in and take part, the project is turning into a national commemorative cookbook. I think it will have a long existence online, on Instagram and also as a physical memorial.”
Also in attendance at the dinner were former Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton and her husband, actor/producer David Hunt, along with Kreuther’s business partner Eben Dorros and his wife, Elizabeth.
The two women – neither of whom are Jewish – founded a non-profit organization, 07C, which encourages Christians to fight anti-Semitism at home and stand up for their Jewish friends as war continues to rage in the Middle East.
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Image Source : nypost.com