While we typically talk much of the Jews of Eastern Europe and of North Africa, one of the lesser-known Jewish communities is the Jewish community in Mexico City. With over 40,000 Jews in Mexico City, hailing from all different parts of the world, their culture and food is a beautiful mix of homely Jewish cooking and authentic Mexican cuisine. It's this very blend that’s brought award-winning entertainer, television personality, and social media star, Eitan Bernath to unearth Mexico's hidden Jewish culinary history.
Mexico City in many ways is a perfect microcosm of this diasporic history, with a Jewish population that spans Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrachi food stories all beautifully melding with traditional Mexican flavors.
On his new show, produced in collaboration with Tastemade, Bernath goes from preparing a traditional Shabbat "Sobremesa" to visiting taco stands, Jewish delis, and synagogues to tell the story of a people deeply connected to the spirit of their country as well as their ancestral roots.
Throughout the seven-episode series, Eitan is guided around the bustling metropolis by locals, such as bestselling cookbook author Pati Jinich, a proud member of the Jewish Mexican community, and tours the essential Jewish areas to provide a fully encompassing view of life as a Mexican Jew.
“I can’t wait for viewers to experience the people, food, and culture like I did,” said Eitan Bernath, who hosts the series. “Mexico City’s rich culture has defined and left a meaningful mark on its one-of-a-kind Jewish community. I’m honored to introduce audiences around the world to these storied dishes, flavors, and people.”
In his travels Eitan discovered how the Jewish community in Mexico City is made up of Syrian Jews from Aleppo and Damascus that immigrated in the early 20th century as well as Eastern European Holocaust survivors and those who managed to flee in the nick of time. This modern blend of cultures and backgrounds is part of what makes Mexican Jewry so fascinating. It's a constant tug of war between being Mexican and being Jewish.
On his trip through Mexico Eitan learns about Matzoquiles, a modern Jewish-Mexican fusion dish served on Passover typically. Similar to Matzah Brei the dish revolves around Matzah soaked in eggs but in this variation it's topped with salsa, guacamole and queso.
This is exactly what Rachel Kastner, executive producer of the show and veteran of the food world, explained, “It was so interesting to see how the Jewish communities who immigrated to Mexico found themselves bringing Mexican flavors into their traditional Jewish meals. At a Shabbat table, it is likely to find guacamole plated right next to a gefilte fish, or a Syrian Kibbeh soup.”
On another of his escapades Eitan visits Estrella, a CDMX native, who takes him to her favorite local market. They pick up fresh produce and get to cooking a hearty Shabbat stew which they then enjoy at her family's house across the street. It's exactly that intimacy that Eitan is trying to capture with this show. Even to this day it's not uncommon for Mexican families to have their grandparents and relatives all living under one roof.
On his adventures in Mexico Eitan found for himself just how different the food in Mexico is. Tasting over 10 new vegetables and fruits in his journeys, it was easy to understand how the Mexican Jews were so creative in the kitchen. When they first immigrated to Mexico they found themselves tasting these flavors for the first time - and since it was the local cuisine they needed to find fun and interesting ways of incorporating them into their own meals.
Jewish Food Renaissance
Eitan's new show is just another in what has been a resurgence of interest in Mexican Jewish cuisine. With several cutting edge fusion spots in the CDMX serving up enchiladas smothered in a sizzling blend of Caliente sauces, filled with kosher salami. Other joints dish out bowls of Jalapeno topped Matzah ball soup and brunch places serve up bagels topped with green and red salsas. The kosher restaurant Sammy's Grill is another great example of this fusion, offering tabbouleh and babaganoush right on top of prime rib tacos.
For Jacqueline Lobel, director and executive producer of the show, the point of this show was to expose the lesser-known elements of Mexico's robust community. Now that Mexico has become such a mecca for travelers and foodies, she says, “It's exciting that Eitan can unpack another layer of the city's vibrant culture and culinary history with this Jewish perspective.”
This limited series is a love letter to Mexico City and the Jews that live there. It airs on Tastemade's Instagram page on May 13th, opening a window into a culture and community that we don’t hear about enough. You're not going to want to miss the adventures and discoveries that take place in the CDMX.
