As part of the Jewish & New Orleans Cuisine & Heritage Series, Ted Merwin, the esteemed author of “Pastrami on Rye,” delved into the intriguing world of the Jewish Deli at MSJE on Thursday September 26th, 2024, at 6 p.m.   For much of the 20th century, the corner Jewish deli was an iconic institution in both Jewish and American life—a kind of homeland for the soul, with pickles on the side. As a social space it rivaled the synagogue as the primary gathering place for the Jewish community. At the same time the deli became an icon in popular culture, featured in a plethora of plays, films, TV shows, songs and stand-up routines.  From John Belushi’s Samurai Deli skit on Saturday Night Live to Rob Reiner’s late-1980s romcom, When Harry Met Sally, to the scenes in the Stage Deli in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the deli and its fare have been embraced by Jews and non-Jews alike as a delicious emblem of Jewish culture in America.  The Jewish & New Orleans Cuisine & Heritage Series, a collaborative project by the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic House and the Tulane Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience, delves into the totally unique Southern Jewish food landscape through history, storytelling, and hands-on cooking workshops. Through a diverse range of academic lectures and hands-on cooking demonstrations, participants will have the opportunity to delve into the culinary traditions that have shaped the cultural landscape of the city. From the fusion of flavors to the historical significance of certain dishes, this program series offers a deep dive into the intersection of food, culture, and heritage in New Orleans. In this talk Dr. Gruber presents a mostly forgotten history of Synagogue architecture in South, based on his research for the online exhibition Synagogues of South, created by the College of Charleston. In religiously and culturally pluralist America, Jewish communities have probably built more types, sizes, forms, and styles of synagogues in two centuries than in the entire history of Jewish synagogue construction. Using postcards and other imagery and a wide array of documentary sources, Grubers presents a continuously evolving array of buildings reflecting changing Jewish practice and Jewish-American identities. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim built its first synagogue in Charleston in 1794. At first, Southern Jews followed trends established elsewhere, but since the 20th century Jewish architects have created new forms and styles across the South.

In this talk Dr. Gruber presents a mostly forgotten history of Synagogue architecture in South, based on his research for the online exhibition Synagogues of South, created by the College of Charleston. In religiously and culturally pluralist America, Jewish communities have probably built more types, sizes, forms, and styles of synagogues in two centuries than in the entire history of Jewish synagogue construction. Using postcards and other imagery and a wide array of documentary sources, Grubers presents a continuously evolving array of buildings reflecting changing Jewish practice and Jewish-American identities. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim built its first synagogue in Charleston in 1794. At first, Southern Jews followed trends established elsewhere, but since the 20th century Jewish architects have created new forms and styles across the South. Samuel D. Gruber (BA, Princeton University; Ph.D. Columbia University) has been a leader in the documentation, protection, and preservation of historic Jewish sites worldwide years for 35 years. He was founding director of the Jewish Heritage Program of World Monuments Fund (1988-1996) and Research Director of the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad (1998 through 2008). He presently directs Gruber Heritage Global, a cultural resource consulting firm and is president of the not-for-profit International Survey of Jewish Monuments. Since 1994, he has taught as part-time faculty in Art History and Jewish Studies at Syracuse University. He has also taught courses at Binghamton, Colgate, Cornell, and Temple Universities and Le Moyne College.